Warhammer 60,000 - Age of Dusk: Emperor's Thousandth Son
by deadmansprice
Summary: This is a story that's based within LordLucan's story of 60k: Age of Dusk which takes place after 50k: Nightmare to come. It is my fanfiction story that's within the universe of LordLucan's epic stories. It is a story about a Loyalist Thousand Son that survives for long time. I posted an ending first.. because that was the first thing I had in my mind.
1. Prologue

**Warhammer 60,000: Emperor's Thousandth Son**

\- Prologue -

During the Horus Heresy, Heka had fled Planet of Sorcerers just after he parted his ways with Ahriman, having once been a member of Coven that had casted their spells, seeing this as a disastrous end. Not only that.. the very Thousand Sons were changing and Heka knew he did not want a part in their corruption. In their change, so he fled.

For a time, Heka wandered aimlessly across all over the galaxy feeling everything was lost during the Heresy. He was just looking for any knowledge as he started, gaining a moniker "Wandering Sorcerer" or "Red Sorcerer" early on by people Heka had encountered yet Heka never mentioned his name nor his Legion. He witnessed Imperium of Man changing. Slowly, yes but he knew it would not be the same Empire he fought for during the Great Crusades. Then his mind turned towards to his Rubric Marines, and towards Thousand Sons legion. He then decided upon a goal then: To fight Chaos. To end their hold on Thousand Sons. If not, then annihilate them, so Tzeentch will not have his puppets. And to end the effects of the Rubric of Ahriman on the undead automata of Thousand Sons, without the effect of flesh-change, for he had long suspected Thousand Sons were being manipulated.

His suspicions proved correct when he was on Prospero years ago, trying to take all the scrolls to preserve knowledge after having slaughtered countless Space Wolves, with his spells, and using his bolter pistol to kill Sisters of Silence, as he fought with the remaining members of his group just before he was teleported out, finding himself on Planet of Sorcerers with other Thousand Sons. At that time, Heka had joined Ahriman's Coven as he thought Ahriman was verging on a discovery of a true cure for the flesh-change, as he was on the verge of being affected by that curse. The moment Heka felt himself free from flesh-change, he was elevated but for a moment, for he suddenly realized his Battle brothers that were nearby did not speak, were completely silent, constantly whispering "All is dust".

Horrified, Heka moved quickly to his old friend "Ukrit? ukrit?!" He shouted, but the warrior did not respond. He tried to pull off Ukrit's helmet, finding it impossibly hard to pull off. Psychically he looked into Ukrit and realized Ukrit's soul was trapped permanently in that armour, and through his Second Sight, he knew the body was turned to dust, and he looked into the now-glowing eyes. No will. No thought. He could not feel them at all in Ukrit's head at all. He was completely horrified and this is what prompted him to leave Sortiarus, taking with him a band of new Rubric Marines that followed his psychic commands. He had managed to get away, using what Alpha Legion had taught him, but at that time, he was unable to hide his now-bright psyker signature. Heka had considered himself fortunate that he was an Alpha plus psyker since birth, and his powers had grown thanks to Rubric of Ahriman, and he had suspected this is what allowed him to escape Warp, during the Horus Heresy, fending off Daemonic entities that attacked him.

Heka began to formulate long, long schemes, as he observed the future, watching for details. His plans came to live as he traveled between worlds, using the same ship he had ever used. Brilliance of Knowledge, a Cobra-class destroyer that was part of 28th Expeditionary Fleet during Great Crusade. On that fateful day, Heka was experimenting with incantations and spells, in order to restore the Rubric Marines back to normal, Heka continued, as he wrote runes and put in wards to ward off the Daemons.

In that moment, a bright flash occurred on the fateful day. Heka found himself falling through unknown space, and Heka was surprised to see many alternative realities flooding before his eyes. Alternate histories. He saw alternate heresies. Dornian Heresy, Gulliman Heresy and hundred others and there were even events where Heresies did not occur. Heka witnessed many different fates of Thousand Sons on alternate timelines as he continued falling. Heka formed a psychic bubbleshield, in order to defend himself. He saw hundred things, so many things that were impossible before his eyes.

And then Heka fell onto the world where the ground was literally white, as white as bone, and the fall momentarily disrupted his barriers. In that moment, Heka immediately felt something leap into him. Heka groaned as he stood up. He noted that he still had his crimson armour, which was an immediate relief but now he looked around, as soon as he summoned the energy barrier with warpfire burning around him.

Heka felt his mind immediately expand and in his head, he felt two presences come to live. They introduced themselves "I am the Mote of Deep Warp." The entity spoke psychically within Heka, and another voice introduced himself "And I am the remnant of the one you never had complete faith in, the one Magnus had given a part of himself to Tzeentch, and ended up here." Heka was displeased, but remained quiet as he looked up to the stars, and was surprised to see they were merely stars, though they had strange… dim quality and they were arranged in a very strange patterns. He noted the sky was inky black, just as black as void of space itself yet he had a strong feeling he was not in Materium at all. The Mote of Deep Warp warned him of that while the remnant of Magnus the Red filled his mind with knowledge, painfully expanding his mind.

Heka looked down and looked at the ragged broken horizon, of this world, as though as it was broken, remade and broken again. Not so soon, he saw the shadows, lithe shadows, in similar form to Eldar warriors he had fought, but they had something in them that disturbed Heka. His Second Sight revealed what he was horrified to see. Only thing he could mutter was "Neverborn… the souls that should have been born but were not born. So.. enraged at being Neverborn." before beginning his incantations, just as he defended himself with his staff.

Heka could only defend himself with his staff, fending off their strikes, parrying them as he destroyed the neverborn entities with his psychic abilities. All of sudden they melted into the ground, and Heka found himself alone. He felt he was being watched at all once from the stars.

The inky blackness flowed away in the sky, to Heka's surprise, and he saw countless faces, and he felt powerful sense of wrong in there, so much hate, so much.. darkness.

Nothing good could ever come out of this. Heka thought as he turned to look for a way out, a ship perhaps? but he sensed entire planet had nothing on it. It was just barren, and the remnant of Magnus warned him "Do not trust anything on this world, and out there. We are not in Materium at all" confirming Heka's suspicions. However before he could say anything.

"Emperor's Thousandth Son. Welcome, Good man of Prospero. Is it not what they called you these days before Horus Heresy?" The monstrous telepathic voice spoke within Heka's head, making Heka recoil in revulsion. Holding his staff, he immediately recognized the faces in the sky, with his enhanced sight. They were faces of every sociopaths and psychopaths he had killed in his entire life. He realized every faces, both human and xenos, were faces of sociopaths and psychopaths of every race. Countless of them.

"Welcome to the core of Deep Warp. I have a great interest in you, Heka the Red. You still remain a Good Man of Prospero, to this day, despite our attempts to bring you to our fold, like we had done with so many of your brethen" a figure slowly formed before Heka's eyes, like mounds of red flesh rising out of the ground, and forming into a man. A mound of flesh, which greatly disgusted Heka but at same time intrigued him.

"You have strong will. Will of iron and you are one of the most powerful psykers in the galaxy, are you not?" The figure finished forming before Heka, speaking in a voice of thousands but as one. The voice that was eternally demented. It formed a uniform a khaki colored uniform, clearly that of Terran official, ages ago. It had a symbol of swastika on a little cloth wrapped around his right arm. the figure was that of a human, clearly infamous for mass deaths early in human history. A middle-aged human, whose hair was combed to side, and had toothbrush mustache for a beard. A tyrant of Jermani in the Old Terra. "You resisted all our offers and it intrigues me greatly."

Heka began to see visions of his actions as a god, what he could do with the powers. To help people, to bring forth a new empire, to be worshipped and venerated, with new Thousand Sons following him, and the figure promised him riches and resources to do what he wanted and needed to. Heka saw Prospero being rebuilt, but this time by his own hands. He saw glittering cities of Prospero, and then he saw Magnus kneeling before him in that vision.

"This is what I offer you. An alliance. A power. You were classified as Alpha-plus psyker by Imperium of Man. Now.. imagine… To be made more powerful, beyond mere mortal limits, to exceed even Emperor's power." Heka saw all this, and he was tempted, but despite the temptations, he grew suspicious. The monster continued on "But forgive me! I have been so rude not to introduce myself! I am known by many names by other races. I am Nexusofeverfatedrisingmadnesshopeofallturnedblackdoomtoallthebeligerentsandtheirgodsallhaildoomnight"

Just hearing the rest of the name made the Mote of Deep Warp, and the Remnant of Magnus roar in pain, and it caused Heka visible pain, but despite the pain, Heka managed to focus, even though his brain was filled with fire. The NEX asked in a mocking tone "Are you alright, Thousandth Child of Anathema?" It was extremely confident. So cold and filled with confidence.

Heka replied softly but with strong voice, as he clutched his head. He knew this thing was trouble. Heka snarled, realizing it was the fount of all the troubles in the galaxy, a cause of downfall of Thousand Sons. He immediately saw faces of Chaos "Gods" that Magnus had called them, but now it was becoming clear to Heka that they ARE Chaos Abominations that sit on Four Thrones within the Great Ocean. To his horror, he realized then that he felt the links of Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch and Slaanesh to that monster. Faint but they were there, it was as if … these ones were but mere faces, like four fins of sharks breaking the surface of the water, the bodies were not shown. And now, he saw the body of that thing. Yet he could tell that was not it's true form. It was hiding it's true from through illusion that his Second Sight barely showed him the outline which was what horrified him.

And while the offers made by Primordial Annilator were tempting, Heka knew it meant giving up his will, as he sensed and theorized that these Abominations were once mortals but were formed and remade. He suspected these former mortals were on his level of psychic might.

"What.. is the catch?" was Heka's soft reply. "Nothing so difficult, so grand. It is something you already have." Heka immediately saw himself in third person, as though as he was looking at his own body. All you have to do is… hand over your free will, and soul. To bind yourself eternally to me. In return, I will ascend you beyond Primarch, beyond Emperor himself.. to join my Pantheon. To become a God. Do that and you will accomplish so many of your goals"

In that instant, after hearing the voice, Heka saw many images of what that Godhood entailed. The power. To make himself a God… to have adoring worshippers, to have many servants and command entire armies, to do what he saw fit. Yet Heka, in his humble and kind nature that once earnt him a reputation among the Astartes he fought alongside in Great Crusade as a "Good Man of Prospero", resisted the temptations.

To the surprise of the monster within Deep Warp, Heka replied "Thank you for your considerations… but I wholeheartedly refuse this offer." At same time, he began to look around the world, looking for a way out "I do not want power. I do not desire to be a god. I see nothing but ruins and hate. Your way is paved with deceptions and death" At that moment, the figure growled, and closed his fist, and stomped on the ground.

The sky grew red and Heka felt rage in the sky. It roared. The figure leapt at Heka, but as soon as that figure leapt at Heka, the Sorcerer turned the figure into ashes almost instantly. He felt himself wrestle with the Mote of Deep Warp, at the moment, influenced and linked to the monster, but that link was already weakening rapidly, due to Heka's inherent good nature. In that way, Heka was also influencing the Mote of Deep Warp. Because of that, Mote resisted NEX's order to annihilate or to mutate Heka. It assisted the Red Sorcerer as he sought out a way to escape.

Heka began to chant, focusing his will onto the Materium, into his previous location before he was pulled by that thing. He continued to chant his incantations, to escape, just as the ground shook, and the tendrils began to rise out of the newly created cracks on the surface of that world.. Paper-white tendrils solid and seemingly made of bones rushed at him. Heka moved, and he saw portals leading the way out. The Mote indicated these portals were the way out.

The monster struck where Heka was anticipating to be at, as it could see the future. Yet it failed to anticipate Heka's refusal. It intended to get what it wanted. No matter what. And sent countless Neverborn after the Red Sorcerer. They moved so rapidly that Heka, using what members of Corvidae taught him, had to shift some of his focus to precognitive abilities, managing to hold off their impossibly perfect strikes that would have otherwise grievously injured him to prevent him from moving or killing him.

Heka was weakening rapidly, his immense psyker might becoming exhausted. There were chinks, in his psychic shield, though the monster was not able to penetrate his mental defences. It roared and psychically yelled at his mind, in it's increasing frustrations at it's plan being delayed and potentially disrupted. Heka continued to fight on.

It was then that Heka was struck hard, but almost as sudden as first time, as Heka felt on his knees due to extensive injury from the strikes. The monster then coolly asked Heka "I am merciful. Again, will you accept this offer, Anathema's Thousandth' Son?" Heka roared i his defiant voice "I refuse to be your god, to be an abomination!" and he levitated as he declared. "I sacrifice my place in time, for it is better not to exist than to exist as a slave!" Heka roared and turned the building energies into himself.

For a moment, there was a bright flash, causing the monster to roar in pain, yet Heka was surprised that he was still there, despite using energies to destroy himself, to sacrifice his place in time itself. Yet he was there. He wondered until the Mote indicated both of them were responsible for his survival. Heka silently thanked the Mote, but realized he could not see the future anymore due to his sacrificing his place in time. Technically, he shouldn't exist anymore.

But Heka also saw the monster could not see him at all. As though as he was invisible to it. Yet it sensed his presence. It roared furiously filled. "I know you are there, insolent one! I will have a god, one way or another. you merely delayed my plans, Heka" The Neverborn could see Heka however and they lunged at him. "I will not cease." The monster roared. "You are rare, but I have time and you do not. and I will seek out another like you then, and give him my Mote. You will give it back to me" Heka ran, as he incinerated many of Neverborn, remaining protected by his barriers, but he began to slow down, for every Neverborn that was incinerated, a strike made it past his defences.

He saw a portal open up, and this time, Heka took control of it, sensing an opportunity, forced the portal to link to the one in Materium, to his ship. He leapt through it, just as portal closed however he found himself falling through the alternate timelines and realities.

Heka suddenly breached one branch of Webway into Materium, straight into the interior of the hangar deck of his ship. He saw the portal close immediately. He then stood up, feeling strange, "Well, we're out of Warp it seems. And the Mote is jubilant to be free." The remnant of Magnus remarked. The Mote indicated "Not fully free yet. I would need to be purified in order to be fully free, then you can fully use my resources fully without being corrupted, The one you just faced.. Primordial Annihilator… will not cease, will get what it wants."

Heka was surprised by this entity and the Remnant of Magnus and then he felt his body was drastically different. He walked towards to the mirror-like wall, and took off his helmet.

Heka was shocked. He found his skin to be reddened and found his once black hair had changed to red. As red as Magnus' famously red hair. Heka was surprised, but then the shadows spread out everywhere, and the eyes began to show through the darkness. He found himself unused to seeing so many things from different points of countless eyes. Heka then put on his helmet, and the shadows disappeared, returning everything to normal. Heka grimly noted he had a new goal: To fight Chaos, to prevent himself from turning into a god, and to purify the Mote of Deep Warp, in addition to his existing goals, to cure the Rubric Marines and to end the pains of Thousand Sons.


	2. Chapter One

In the early years within what is now known as Age of Dusk to the scholars, Heka had survived for twenty Millennia at this point, ten thousand years since the fall of Imperium of Man, he had been wandering all over the galaxy gaining multiple titles in addition to his original titles since Horus Heresy, one of them being "Sorcerer of the Sun" due to the symbol on his pauldron as no one these days since the fall of Imperium of Man ten millennia ago recognized the Pre-heresy Thousand Sons' symbols, save for those who fought in Great Crusades and those who managed to come across the lore regarding Thousand Sons before their fall. Heka considered that a good thing.

Thinking on Thousand Son Pre-Heresy symbols, Heka simply walked through a battlefield on Uralan where the dead bodies of Chaos Space Marines from different Legions and Chapters shifted by themselves, opening a path for him, with Rubric Marines dragging the disabled surviving Chaos Space Marines, left unable to move. They screamed and wailed, very uncharacteristically, but they were afraid, aware of Heka's dark reputation among the servants of Chaos, especially among Daemons, for no one ever returned triumphant when they faced him.

The Rubric Marines formed a circle of defense, to defend their master should anyone else "happen" to come across this ritual. Heka began his intonations as he levitated, his eyes glowing blue. The Warp seemed to respond to his commands. Heka was literally bloating with energies from Warp, for he was on a verge of becoming a Chaos God.

The screams grew louder, and began to reach to an intensifying pitch. It did not bother Heka as Heka's Rubric Marines gunned down any oncoming Cadian Despoiled Guard, cultists, and mutants in their fervent desire to rescue Black Legionnaire masters in hopes for rewards, by then employed by Abaddon's Western Chaos Imperium.

Every hidden symbols inscribed by Heka's Rubric Marines through his mental command began to activate on Uralan, enshrouding that world in perpetual darkness, transforming the skies of that world, turning it into perpetually stormy skies, just as the screams rang within the Warp. It was as if Uralan wailed loudly, on a varying pitch until ghostly pitch of screams settled in.

The howling of the wind grew more intense and then at all once, the screaming souls were seemingly pulled from the dark clouds, forcibly being returned to their bodies. The nearby still-living immobile Chaos Space Marines, near Heka, could only watch in horror at this spiritual brutality, as their battle brothers were turning into the very Rubric Marines they fought earlier. And then they screamed in page as their armour sealed themselves fully, as their bodies were being turned into dust, becoming Rubric Marines themselves.

And then Heka began to drain entire world of all life, a feat only made possible with the Mote of Deep Warp. The Chaos servants tried in vain to protect themselves, entire armies of them, only to be murdered by the uncaring Rubric Marines or drained of their life, permanently killing them. It did not take long for an entire world to be cleansed, with the screams growing ever louder until the last one had died. Heka glanced at the now-expanded realms of Eye of Terror. Uralan turned black, and the sounds ceased immediately. In years to come, that world would be whispered in fear by all as "World of Deep Silence", and "World of Endless Eyes" as the space around Uralan became ominously quiet, as quiet as void.

The excessive amounts of deaths had reversed Heka's continual transformation, to prevent himself from turning into a Chaos God. The Primordial Annihilator was quite persistent. But still, he felt this atrocity was necessity, a horrible necessity to prevent the godhood, as he stole the energies from the dead and the dying, alongside the newly raised Rubric Marines. Heka heard a mocking voice from the Primordial Annihilator " _It feels good, does it not, insolent one?"_ reminding Heka that the Mote of Deep Warp has not been purified yet, not yet fully cleansed of the link to the monster in Deep Warp, a terrible reminder that the monster would not cease. Though Heka had to admit to his horrified realization, it did… feel good.

Heka had done it on smaller scale, especially against the surviving Black Templars who transformed into Oblivionites after death of Emperor, but the Heka sensed end was coming faster and that would mean his transformation would be accelerated. The Primordial Annihilator would get what it wanted after all, but he would fight long enough to prevent it, which is why he went to Uralan, to commit this horrible sin, to greatly reverse the transformation. This was the first world Heka suspected cultists, even Astartes among them, began to worship him, revering him as Annihilus, Lord of the End. Heka felt he had to cleanse this world, to reduce the numbers.. to reverse the ascension.

After this atrocity, Heka teleported himself and his new Rubric Marines to a waiting ship, _Waning Moon Secundus_. Heka began to recall many Rubricae from the now-floating wrecks of Chaos ships that once guarded Uralan but were invaded relentlessly by Rubric Marines, teleported there by Heka through warp gates, forced to explode from inside. It was only possible because majority of Chaos Fleets had left for SOL system, led by Abaddon.

From this, Heka directed his ship away from Eye of Terror, stealthily moving between worlds to avoid the suspicious gaze, towards Armageddon. He reflected on what he had just done. He had killed every last living human, both Astartes and the population, even innocents. Better dead than slaves of Chaos. This much death however had rejuvenated him, in his struggle with the impure Mote though both influenced each other extensively.. This effort had reversed his ongoing transformation into a Chaos Abomination by a large degree. Heka suspected this was the work of Word Bearers, influenced by Primordial Annihilator.

That much death however also saddened him, he considered his choices. He shook his head then looked at both of his hands, imagining blood on it, for he had done it on a much smaller scale, on individual battlefields. He was aware he could do this to an entire world, but he never wanted to, but the acceleration of events he noticed were forcing him to do that, and he sensed that if he did not make this choice, he would turn into one of new Chaos Abominations, another slave within Primordial Annihilator's Pantheon, long before he could purify the Mote. He hated that. Most of all, he hated himself for doing this.

Heka knew he needed someone like Sister of Silence he once fought. Ironically, having one of a Blanks would have been helpful. He sought for Blanks in order to prevent or slow down his ascend into a Godhood, to prevent Primordial Annihilator… and whenever he was about to acquire or manipulate a blank, that blank would suffer "accidents" that always resulted in their deaths. Something Heka suspected the monstrous thing of which Chaos Gods were connected to, within Deep Warp was responsible for the "accidents", to his eternal indignation.

Heka could only hope these innocents could find peace, away from the grips of Chaos, no matter how unlikely it is. Death.. was the kindest alternate he could offer to these individuals for he saw no way of saving them, and so spared their souls from his soul-rending spells. However for the deluded Chaos slaves… Heka held only hatred for them, and many of them, who lived grew to fear the Red Sorcerer, calling him "Lord Annihilus, Thousand-eyed Soul Flayer" a title that Heka did not like at all, but was stuck with it. He had trouble finding allies, especially in the schemes he had pursued for long terms, for none could bear his presence long enough, especially when his presence alone could drive people to madness, and the nightmare seemed to plague anyone within his room, when he slept.

As _Waning Moon Secundus_ departed from the dead world of Uralan, on course made by Heka towards Armageddon, hearing about this new Imperium. He gazed at his ancient ship, making use of Rubric Marines to pilot this ship through Eye of Terror.

Just as Heka turned to move to the Librarium within _Waning Moon Secundus_ , he sensed a single presence. He knew that presence was observing him prior to his atrocity on Uralan. It is likely that presence may have been aware that he was psychically influencing the slaves and Astartes warrior from a far distance to write symbols that allowed Heka to send his Rubricae to raze the ships. He was close, verging on becoming a God when he decided to commit this Atrocity on Uralan.

Heka could not figure out this presence but it was recognizable to him somehow. It was a bright beacon he could see, within the Great Ocean. Immediately it was gone.. and suddenly it appeared within his ship. Heka grew alarmed when he heard " _And here I am, my son. Here, we meet again, near the world made so disturbingly silent. How could one ignore the Atrocity you just committed on your followers?"_

" _Magnus, the one who damned us all to save us all."_ Heka was immediately on guard, as Magnus' bright presence appeared within the Librarium. Heka walked gingerly towards it, his Rubric Marines seemingly in a confused state, their heads switching between Heka and Magnus. Heka knew Magnus was no longer solid, and attained more power. Heka readied himself, as his strength degraded greatly after committing the Atrocity on Uralan and Heka grew aware he had made a mistake and a wrong timing.

" _It was the only way I saw it or watch the last member of Thousand Sons die."_ Magnus curtly replied " _And now I see you are different. You have become much more powerful, and have attained the prize so worthy that every servants of Chaos would fight to death for it."_ Magnus' voice grew more indignant " _Especially those who seek Godhood. And your followers would have ascended you beyond my father. Why.. degrade yourself? Why stop yourself from ascending? For to be a God is an honor!"_

Suddenly the Librarium grew dark. Yet with an extremely strong eyesight only a Primarch can have, he could perceive shapes. He saw lidless eyes gazing at him. all within the shadows. Suddenly, Magnus felt uneasy, as he saw it. He knew why now Daemons referred him as Thousand Eye'd Soul Flayer. Magnus knew Heka had been much more powerful before he committed the Atrocity on Uralan. He knew Heka had been going near to godhood. He was horrified when he sensed the souls that should have flowed into Great Ocean did not flow away. It was as if they were ended permanently.

Heka, after taking off his helmet and placing it on the magstrap belt, observed Magnus the Red from countless angles. Magnus has been able to solidify himself into _Waning Moon Secundus_ , somehow bypassing multiple defences, even the Gellar Field.. Heka knew Magnu hadn't changed much, in any shape and form, unlike other Primarchs, despite being in Warp for endless ages. " _So it was you that observed me. You seem to have come back together and observed me. To witness a birth of a new god?"_ Heka kept himself wary for any other Thousand Sons that may have followed Magnus. As far as he knew, Magnus was never truly alone.

To Heka's surprise, Magnus DID come alone for he scoured the Great Ocean and it seemed he was on his own in the tainted ocean.. He simply came through the door, readying himself. The Rubric Marines still seemed confused, but their helmets, way they turned, indicated that Magnus was really there. He opened the large door, leading into the Librarium, just as endless eyes kept watch on Magnus, both physically and psychically.'

No daemon ever got close to Heka's ship, for years ago, when Heka entered Warp deliberately without Gellar field, the Daemons that rushed into Heka's ship found their permanent end, their existence forgotten. Now all knew to avoid it like plague, calling _Waning Moon Secundus, "_ Herald of Oblivion". Heka grew aware that it is likely that Daemons may try to get in now that Magnus appeared within his ship.

As the door opened, Magnus saw Heka's form covered by shadows. Magnus grew horrified. He saw shadows covering Heka's body, alongside lidless eyes. He saw shadows immediately retreat to within his armour, and Magnus knew something was not right with Heka. It slowly dawned on him that Heka was pulsing with something from the Deep. He realized this is why Heka was considered so dangerous and so.. changed. So tainted and different. Despite Heka's size being smaller than Magnus', he felt like he was facing a rising godling. Not as his Son, not as the one of his two centuries old friend he had kept youthful, for Heka had been eternally grateful for. No. This was the rising Godling. The one who refused the gift from the Deep. A folly, but why? Magnus wondered.

The Daemon Primarch approached the one whose power surged to nearly match his strength " _You are different. Why do you refuse to be the o-"_ When Magnus was immediately silenced by his realisation that Heka, though tainted, mutated, corrupted in almost every way, had not been taken by any of Chaos Gods as he originally thought, nor worshipped them. He was shocked when he realized Heka had managed to escape the grip of Tzeentch, while he and Thousand Sons remained in his grips.

Almost immediately, Heka placed his helmet on his head, and both psykers found themselves upon the windswept plains of Prospero, gazing at each other. Heka kept his mind on guard, but Magnus did not want to be fighting Heka, for he grew more curious, as he still despised Tzeentch over years. He looked around, seeing the plains, and ahead of two psykers, were the grand majestic city of Tizca, with Tower of Light. Unsullied. Uncorrupted. Undamaged. Magnus wanted to believe it true but knew he was within Heka's mind, for Heka had invited him.

Evidently, Heka sensed it as well " _This is the only way I can remember what Tizca was like. Not what Tizca is like now in Planet of Sorcerers._ " Heka's voice barely contained his disgust and anger. Especially at Magnus the Red. Magnus then turned to Heka, only to be surprised. He saw Heka, in his simple robes he wore, on the first time he met Magnus. This is what he chose to present himself within this vision.

Alongside Heka, stood the himself. Magnus felt unsettled, seeing himself, and then seeing through that figure's eye. He saw how much difference there was between his old self before he became a Daemon Primarch and his current self. He saw his other eye that he gave up to the Daemon. And then.. for the first time, he saw the figure next to Heka the Red. A giant blob floating above the ground. A liquidly mass. The liquidly mass had countless eyes on it's surface and all of it focused its attention to Magnus.

Heka spoke orally this time, instead of telepathy "Well it has been a long time since last we met on the planet of Sorcerer." Heka chuckled "It seems we are not here to fight. We both have questions, don't we?" Heka smiled. This time, Magnus was silent, but could not help agree. "That is correct, my son. You are.. different, and somehow you freed yourself from the grips of Tzeentch and other Chaos Gods" Heka looked and pointed to Magnus' mirror-self and the shadowy mass with lidless eyes.

"Not only Tzeentch, also free from Khorne, Nurgle, Slaanesh, Star Father, Valchocht the Maker, and most importantly.. " Heka continued as he shuddered at what he was about to say "I am also free from that monster that tried to force me to join their Pantheon. I do not know what it found in me that it wanted to turn into one of Chaos slave gods" Magnus immediately realized it was because of his humble nature, his nature that somehow stayed with him that made him and others call him "Good Man of Prospero" That nature had not changed all this time. Magnus understood why then but Heka did not seem to realize it, or even aware of that, which confused Magnus.

Heka observed Magnus who seemed both confused and curious. Heka simply said "These two. they are why. You and the Mote of Deep Warp. Both are the reasons why I am free from the Ruling Abominations." Heka smiled softly "the fount of all the sorrows, of madness and hate"

Magnus saw Heka turn his head away, just as his mirror-self approached him. "This.. is what I look like now." Magnus suddenly felt guilty about his decision for he saw despair on his mirror-self's eye. "I had no choice, my mirror-self. Not what happened to my Legion.. my chi-" "It is understandable. You can see through me, I can see through you. And that is enough"

Magnus wondered if he hadn't given up his eyes, would he be so different? Magnus wondered about that as his mirror-self stepped back, simply stating "We are not freed yet. I cannot go back to you until then. Heka plans that, while he schemes against the Chaos, against the Deep. Against the Dissolution." surprising Magnus, as his mirror-self melded back into Heka.

The Mote responded with a strong discordant voice "Magnus. Scion of Emperor. Crimson King. Lord Primarch of Thousand Sons, and yet Heka bears grudge and anger, calling you the failure of a Primarch." The Mote's voice grew more curiously joyful "Strangely yet, Heka, ever humble, wishes to free you from the Dissolution Lord's grip, just as much as with us, he freed himself from them. I am assisting in his plans, for I wish to be purified and free as well" The Mote seemingly shifted itself into Magnus' current form, except it was perpetually covered in shadows. Magnus sensed that he was being warned not to attempt to pry anything from Heka.

"Does this sate your curiosity, Magnus?" Heka asked. Magnus shook his head "Only more questions arises." Heka looked at Magnus sadly " _Have you ever gone beyond the Great Ocean? Into the Deep? Not just into the Deep, but so far into the Deep that there is no light in that place, only darkness. Into the Deepest Fundament"_

Magnus was grew more curious yet he also felt horror rising within him. Heka continued " _Tzeentch was not just responsible for damnation of Thousand Sons. It tried to turn me into a God. Do you know now why I had to commit the Atrocity on Uralan?. Before I show you everything, you will have to forswear your service to Tzeentch. And your oath to watch the galaxy burn."_ Heka's telepathic voice grew more stern " _That is the price for the knowledge I am granting you. You will forswear your service to Chaos, and eventually, you will act against Thousand Sons._ " Magnus staggered back in shock, at the force of Heka's words " _Either keep Thousand Sons alive and be an eternal slave of Primordial Annhilator or end Thousand Sons and be permanently free"_

Magnus was horrified that Heka would ask such a thing, and he knew he could not persuade Heka in any other way, sensing his will had become absolute long time ago. As absolute as a god, and Magnus noted this was probably a side-effect of his mutations and being with his mirror-self and Mote of Deep Warp. Magnus had much to ponder and he agonized over the choices. Potential to free himself from the Dark Gods, but end Thousand Sons while gaining more knowledge, or remain in service to Dark Gods and keep his gene-children alive and easily learn more knowledge. Magnus frowned as he considered his choices. His beliefs about Chaos shaken to the core.


	3. Chapter Two

Magnus was shaken as he heard Heka line out two choices. He grew enraged as Heka gave the Primarch a choice. He was used to commanding the Thousand Sons. He was the Primarch, a true son of Emperor. He was the Crimson King! Magnus could not help but feel enraged at how his insolent prodigal son dared to talk back to his gene-father.

Immediately, Magnus' rage overcame his mind borne from hurt pride, angered at Heka's insolence and hearing Heka's thought regarding him. His inner rage had been building at the lack of respect and for a time initially was cooled down by the memories of Prospero before it's Fall. That rage became strong, that Magnus shattered the memory vision, bringing both psykers back to the reality in Librarium within Waning Moon Secundus, within the expanded realms of Eye of Terror.

Almost immediately, the Primarch began to assault Heka psychically, though that demi-god was weakened by his own action. He saw Heka as an insult now to both Magnus and to his patron, Tzeentch.

Heka knew this was not going to end well, yet he felt he needed to line it out. For he could not trust anything else. Full of awareness that he had enraged the Primarch at a wrong time when his psychic strength reduced from verging onto godhood, into strength of a powerful alpha-plus psyker, but an alpha-plus psyker could not hope to match the might of the enraged Crimson King. To Heka, that was no different from trying to prevent mutation that once threatened Thousand Sons from breaking out within him, the only difference was that he had to prevent himself from turning into a god.

It was as if the entire Warp shifted, and all eyes within Warp were laid on the drifting ship, with two bright psychic presences at it each other. Magnus howled in rage "I AM MAGNUS! THE CRIMSON KING! THE LORD OF THOUSAND SONS AND YOU FORGET YOUR PLACE. I WILL REMIND YOU WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO BE A THOUSAND SON, INSOLENT ONE! FOR YOU FORGET YOUR PLACE IN TZEENTCH'S GRAND SCHEME! I SHALL MAKE YOU BURN THE GALAXY WITH ME, THE VERY GALAXY YOU ARE TRYING TO SAVE"

Heka merely replied as he weathered through Magnus' herculean psychic strikes, while countering the swifter weaker strikes from the Daemon Primarch, unable to form his own offense, each of psychic strikes strong enough to rip apart multiple worlds. He simply could only hold his ground beneath the strikes of Magnus' massive bladed staff while being swatted away by his massive arms. Heka knew he touched on Magnus' nerve, as he crashed through the bookshelfs.. "You are Magnus, but you are a failed king. And I am not a slave of that Changing Abomination" Heka replied coolly.

Heka continued as he managed to prevent Magnus' drilling psychic strikes from breaking into his mind. "A failed king who damned us all to the Changing Abomination. And a failed king who is nothing more than a slave" These words were quiet, yet effortlessly they enraged Magnus the Red. The entire bookshelves began to burn seemingly out of nowhere, with flames cooking Heka within his armour to ashes. He did not react as his painful rapid regeneration activated.

Heka and Magnus fought each other even more fiercely, for Heka was well too aware that Magnus was unlike any other foes he's faced, but he is nothing compared to the Chaos Abominations… and even they are… but parts of that thing. The fount of all troubles. The cause of Magnus' deep corruption, but Heka sensed there was something still pure left within him. He wanted to draw it out of his father. To bring back Magnus he once knew.

It was as though two massive hurricanes clashed against one at another, with the howlings of Warp battering the Waning Moon Secundus. A mighty Daemon-Primarch fought his gene-son. Emotions, thoughts, even the ideas were used as weapons. Magnus sought to contain Heka the Red, and teach him a harsh lesson. However, Magnus began to realize why Tzeentch had sent him here.. for Heka proved to be incorruptible, despite the extensive corruption within his body from the Deep. And now Magnus began to consider killing him as an option as he instinctively knew Heka somehow managed to foil his master's plans. Somehow, and that enraged Tzeentch to no end. He knew the price of failures to Tzeentch, as he brought forth all his powers. No other foes had survived that, only Heka.

As books flew, they crawled to a pause while in mid-air, and the temperatures seemingly hot. Heka knew Magnus had frozen time. Magnus did not count on one thing: Heka was not supposed to exist. He was free from dominion of time, but could not see into futures nor discern his fate nor fate of others. In fact, he seemed to have vanished from all strands of time. Magnus was shocked when Heka countered Magnus' psychic strikes into his mind, seemingly unaffected by time freeze.

Magnus was furious at the difficulty of breaking into Heka's mind, as he had intended in every way to rip knowledge out of his mind then rip his soul. He could not work it out. He had every advantage on Heka yet Heka somehow managed to survive and resist what would have been very lethal to other psykers of his level, even though Heka was weakening.

"You will not be able to break me, Failed King. You ARE a slave to Tzeentch" Heka's telepathic voice took on the tone of sadness "And you strike at me without ever considering my words which could free you but yet you do not. You never have since Ark Reach Cluster"

As soon as Heka said these words that cut Magnus to the core, for his words carried unbearable truth. Wanting to deny that was the truth, he roared "I AM A PRIMARCH, NOT A SLAVE!" Magnus roared as he marched on Heka, somehow surviving the strongest of Magnus' psychic attacks that would have cracked the surface of a planet, or snapped a Titan in half easily as sharp knife cuts through butter. "I AM THE LORD OF THOUSAND SON AND BY MY DECISION, YOU ARE NO LONGER MEMBER OF THOUSAND SONS!"

Heka replied "No, Failed King, I was never a part of Tzeentch's Thousand Slaves," Heka was knocked back mightily, burnt, crashing through the bookshelves by the large psychic wave. Heka immediately picked himself up, where a lesser man would have a hard time recovering. "I am one of the last members of Emperor's Thousand Son as far as I know" for Heka had not known of any other surviving Loyalist members of Thousand Sons, and he had not heard from Wayward Son for many years and was uncertain about his status.

Heka found himself running out of psychic energy as he fought Magnus. He was reluctant to draw another source from the Mote of Deep Warp, even though the Mote of Deep Warp urged him to use it to save his life and even defeat Magnus. Immediately, Heka sensed Waning Moon Secundus was being damaged irreparably by psychic storms that the mighty duelists were generating. The rune defenses were failing and the Gellar Fields were flickering mightily.

Magnus began to alter the layers of ship, pouring in the strange oil from his feet, producing frost and fire. This froze and burnt Heka at same time, while his physical strikes pushed him everywhere for Heka had yet to form his own offensive. He was on a complete defences, conserving what little remained of his energy pool. For a moment, Magnus wondered how could Heka survive his strikes that he used in his anger would have burnt entire worlds, and cut apart the giant god-machines easily as a sharp knife could cut through butter.

And then the Daemons began to spill in, called by Magnus' roars, allowed in through multiple breach of Waning Moon Secundus' defences. Magnus immediately sensed their fears and was surprised that even the greatest of Lords of Change allies were filled with terror at the weakened suffering Heka the Red even as they assisted Magnus in fighting him. The Warp horrors, though terrified of Heka, found that they could not escape from the ship to their terror. They were trapped.

"At last. The Daemon that took Magnus' eye, the Daemon that led Thousand Sons to their damnation through Magnus" Heka said as he stood up, despite the pain from constant regeneration, his body almost turning into ashes then reknitting themselves back to flesh, repeating all over causing them to shake as Heka aimed his right hand at them. The sounds simply ceased as Heka stated "I did not expect Magnus do this. He is a failed king. But he did succeed in few minutes in what I would have taken ages to find you"

Heka then drew the psychic resources from the Mote of Deep Warp out of reluctant necessity to fight these things. Alone, by himself, he would not last and this would mean the Mote would return to the Deep, and the monster of the Deep Warp would make another Chaos God as the Mote of Deep Warp is quite impure… but with help of Mote of Deep Warp, Heka had melded with it immediately which covered his body in deep shadows.

Every being trapped in that ship, even Magnus, felt the chill as they saw shadows spreading out everywhere, only silence prevailed. Magnus sensed Heka's psychic strength multiplied many orders above his normal strength. Already mightier than even Magus, Heka turned his baleful gaze towards to the Daemons while at same time, Heka snuffed out Magnus' flames, ended the reign of brief cold and made the oil dissipate.

Then countless lidless eyes showed from where shadows touched. Magnus grew horrified. He saw many other horrors with similar forms on their flesh however there was something about this that made Magnus regret lashing out at Heka due to his hurt pride. This time, he went on defensive, working with Daemons to prevent Heka's flames and shadows from reaching them,

The Daemons began to burn walls, floors and everything as much as they could to produce light, and wove their spells to attack directly Heka the Red. The moment that Magnus' rage had snuffed out, and was replaced by the creeping sense of fear, he looked at the Daemons acting irrationally out of terror. Heka had designed some of the runes specifically for the very ones Magnus made deals with, to save himself and Thousand Sons. Magnus realised that Heka had not forgiven Magnus, and held his desire vengeance against these Daemons, and he held only pure hatred for the Chaos Gods. He then noticed the abomination Heka had become when Magnus observed Heka's shadow pulsing and for a moment, he thought he saw Mote of Deep Warp acting behind him. And to him. It felt like staring into the living Abyss.

"I am not a god, fleas of Primordial Annihilator, I am just a man. And I recognize you who took Magnus' eye in return, you gave him a partial of all knowledge required to stop the mutations in Thousand Sons." Heka said as he levitated slowly to Magnus and the large group of Daemons "And I recognize you who damned Thousand Sons Legion long time ago, acting on the Slave of Change's behalf, stopping our mutation for a time, and twisted Magnus into the Failed King"

Fires of Heka's rage began to spread out from the oily black shadows. Somehow, Magnus backed away, realizing then the rumours about him were true, especially among the Daemons. He saw to his horror that the minds of Daemons were being drained at all once, and Heka began to snuff out the lesser Daemon's existence completely, one by one. Normally, by anyone else, they would've spilled out back to Warp, but not this time, not when they faced Heka. Magnus did not expect that, just as he did not expect Heka to survive strikes that would have killed anyone else countless times over.

Magnus expected any laughter, any smile, anything of sort he always expected from the Chaos Champions. Sometimes he found them pathetic, or annoying as they burnt worlds, ravaged millions, grew armies from the cultists and turned many to worship of Chaos. He found them preferable to the silence, to the silent rage of Heka and the screams of Daemons seemed to be choked out by the terrible silence, where the winds of Warp seemed to pause to a halt within the ship.

As the the souls of lesser Daemons were snuffed out to oblivion, the Greater Daemons chanted, working together to stop the shadows from coming their forms, changing constantly yet they were being changed by Heka in countless ways. Magnus saw Heka battling a group of powerful Greater Daemons. There should be a power gap! And that a lowly Sorcerer should not be doing this much damage, not be able to permanently wipe out their existence. Nor should he be able to combat a group of them. No mortal could take on a single Greater Daemon alone, however Heka effortlessly duelled all of them. Magnus suspected Heka had been able to use their strengths against them. For the time, Magnus grew indecisive as he remained on defences against the one who was truly becoming a god, even if his ascension had been delayed.

Endless eyes appeared on Heka's body, now covered in shadows once more. He focused on the Daemons, twisting their minds, as he weathered through the psychic assaults. Heka had began to drain their power, their knowledge. Most importantly, he was making the Greater Daemon responsible for the fall of Thousand Sons slowly harm itself, as it found itself turning at Heka's whim. It saw shadows creeping up on it's body. The Daemon began to burn itself and tried to abandon it's form, only for it to remember the shadows had already trapped it. It could not scream, nor wail. Magnus saw that particular Daemon thrashing around, and saw Heka float near it.

Magnus witnessed Heka place his hand on the evershifting-birdlike Daemon responsible for taking his one of his eyes and the fall of Thousand Sons. He witnessed Heka rip something from that thing's mind. It began to shriek, as it looked around afraid. It silently screeched, scratching against Heka. It was many times larger than Heka, yet Magnus felt that before Heka, it was as though a small slave being sacrificed like slaves he once sacrificed back on Sortarius for his rituals. He witnessed Heka tear apart that unfortunate Daemon, taking all of it's psychic pool, knowledge and psychic strength. Then he permanently destroyed that Daemon

And then when Heka turned to Magnus, Magnus felt the chill of Abyss. The morale of the remaining Greater Daemons were utterly crushed when Heka had ended one of their greatest forever. Magnus was shocked. It was the first time they knew utter despair. He heard them begin to beg and offer Heka many deals. Ultimately, the Red Sorcerer shook his head, and completely annihilated them with his baleful glare. Magnus saw the Greater Daemons with him die their permanent death until the Daemon Primarch was the only one left standing. Finally, he was the only one remaining facing the terror Heka had become. Magnus readied himself for a permanent end. He felt powerless against this rising abomination.

At the same time, Heka was not happy. Either get killed or gain more power, slightly reverse some of the beneficial effects the Atrocity on Uralan had on him. He chose the latter, tormenting the unfortunate Daemon through using the psychic resources of the Mote of Deep Warp. Heka shuddered in pain internally as he used it. His psychic might was returning and he knew eventually he would have to do another Atrocity to reverse it again. His death would undo his eons of work in purifying the Mote of Deep Warp that was not even quarterly done, and would return the mote to Deep Warp so that thing could choose a new God. No, that had to be delayed but he was also aware he was still accelerating it's plans for him, pushing ahead after being delayed.

Thus Heka chose the latter, but only slightly. He resisted the temptations of doing the same to other Daemons as he simply ended their existence and he sensed the Primordial Annihilator's plans for Heka had been delayed once more, but only slightly. Heka withdrawn the shadows, closing the lidless eyes by his will, returning everything to normal, save for the ashes that lay where Greater Daemons once were.

Heka collapsed on his knees, panting and exhausted. Heka had expanded the remaining psychic energy he had to get back to normal, to prevent the impure Mote of Deep Warp from taking over completely that would have had turned him into a complete monster. His muscles pulsed with pain, and his eyes seemed to be dry, yet his skin was wet with sweat. he groaned as his stomach hurt. He simply said "For Prospero." before collapsing against the nearest wall on Magnus' right.

Magnus had much to ponder. He sensed Heka was recovering. Normally, when one recovers, there's a sense of weakness, that one would be at complete mercy. Normally, with anyone else, he did not get that one with Heka. He summoned up more defences, while keeping an an eye on Heka. He considered what Heka said, aware that both of them were in no condition to fight, that they're both exhausted. Magnus decided to invite Heka into his mind, the same way Heka invited him into his own mind.

Both Heka and Magnus found themselves within the shattered impossible maze-like shattered mountains, overlooking the twisted city of Tizca. Except, it looked darker, dirtier and broken than last Heka had fled Sortarius. it looked far more twisted and the landscapes, despite the constant changes, had another constant: massive cracks appearing everywhere on the land. And most oddly, the screams of the souls surrounding the world are not present, and there was only perpetual darkness. Heka could notice another constant on the shifting landscape. Everywhere were in similar shapes to landscapes of Prospero.

Magnus chuckled "Welcome to my world. To my mind" Heka immediately understood the Primarch was broken in many ways. Heka walked nearest to the edge of the shattered cliff.

Magnus glanced at Heka, as both were not in a mood to fight now. They observed the broken city of Tizca. "I have given a thought about the choices you are giving me." Magnus could not help but internally admit Heka had been right. To free himself.. but he would have to end his Legion, or choose to save his Legion and be eternally bound to Tzeentch. He did secretly look for ways to free himself, but knew somehow Tzeentch would anticipate this and Magnus suspected Tzeentch had mislead him many times, while being… partially honest.

Magnus considered his recent fight with Heka and then witnessing Heka put a permanent end to the Daemons. He felt a little bit of weight had been lifted off his back, as soon as the Daemon responsible for the end of Thousand Sons had been extinguished forever, never to return to it's Chaos patron.

Heka remained quiet, as he gazed upon the twisted Tizca. He was trying not to weep at the sight of it, but could not prevent his tears streaking down his face. He did not take off his helmet. He had no words to say, only that he had wished Tizca did not survive the bombardment, but it has and turned into a damned city filled with darkness, rather than the city of enlightenment it once had been.

Magnus noted Heka's words had not been tainted. He was sincere and right upfront about the choices. Thinking about the hard choices. He's made many terrible choices over years, and to him, the fact he had to end Thousand Sons which pretty much nullified any work he's done to save Thousand Sons. That was what was galling! But to free himself from Chaos and to redeem Thousand Sons.. if only in name, even though they would be gone long after their names have been redeemed. Magnus frowned greatly, thinking about what Heka did and said.

Magnus could not prevent his hands from shaking. No. Heka offered a way out, and then Magnus also saw an opportunity to gain more knowledge that way, for he was sure Tzeentch would lead him down somewhere even darker. But to end his Legion. To end it.. Unbearable. Yet he gazed at Heka one more time, as Heka stood nearer the edges of the cliff, observing Tizca, he sensed Heka's sadness. He had known Heka had always loved Tizca on Prospero. He should be feeling rage, he should've killed Heka, Magnus felt that, but he did not, for the embers of his rage had been made cool. Sadly, he looked down, and thought about it.

Magnus finally decided. "Heka" Heka turned his head to Magnus. "What is it, Magnus?" "Despite our fight. My anger took the best of me. I… made a choice. I apologize for my earlier actions" The Primarch sighed, as though taking on a voice of a mourner, his hands gripping forming into fists "I forswear my service to Tzeentch. My oath to watch the galaxy burn made null. I will … end Thousand Sons. I speak truthfully" Magnus spoke, his voice choking, his tears made flowing. Heka smiled. When Magnus blinked, he saw Heka as a human before Emperor ever arrived to Prospero. He offered his hand. Magnus shook Heka's hand, and he reaffirmed that he was no longer loyal to Tzeentch, no longer follower of Chaos, for he suspected Heka could teach him more about the Deep, and not be misled by those responsible for Prospero's fall.

At this moment, Magnus immediately bound himself to Heka, to allow himself to walk the Materium and he suspected the Mote of Deep Warp would be a great help. Heka allowed that by instinct through Magnus' remnant that resided within him. In that moment, both psykers had heard Tzeentch's furious cries reverberating through Warp. Magnus smiled as he felt his soul fling free from Tzeentch's grip"One cannot change what has no form".


	4. Chapter Three

Magnus merely remarked " _What did you do? It was as if you melded with the shadow thing." "Mote of Deep Warp. I have and it is a fragment of madness. Part of Primordial Annihilator. It is strong and you noticed it was like looking into abyss, did you not?"_ Heka replied as he changed into his current form " _It is a battle to keep my own mind, and it is… extremely corrupting. I dare not to use it again. Not for a while, for I can feel part of myself slipping into madness when I am melded so I cannot use it long, even if it exceedingly increases my psychic might."_

Magnus grew curious asking " _How so?"_ Heka simply smiled " _I will show you what really happens to me. It is a good thing this is within our minds so I don't have to really meld with the Mote of Deep Warp."_ Magnus watched as Heka's shadows began to cover himself with endless eyes. Magnus was horrified. He felt a tinge of madness within Heka and for a moment saw him smiling impossibly. Heka stepped through his armour which surprised Magnus.

Instead of a large giant with a bulky super-human body that all Space Marines had, Heka's body was shrunken and lithe, almost similar to the Eldar's body, but still human. His muscles had orange-yellow glow on his muscles, with a black centre, almost as if to form an eye. The "eye" also seemed to have formed on Heka's chest, similar to Horus' eye on the chest, except Heka's version was that of vertical oval. His skin had turned to ashe blank, making the "eyes" more significant on his body.

" _Almost like the Neverborn I've fought in Deep Warp."_ Heka stepped back into his armour. " _That, in many ways, is how corrupted I am. I don't know deep and many would see it as a reward, I do not. None but I know the truth"_ Heka warned. " _No one should ever seek Godhood at all. No one. Nothing good for one who seeks it"_

Heka mused. " _I wonder what the hell that thing saw in me when it tried to turn me into a god."_ He turned around " _You want to know how I got these powers? The ability to permanently end Daemons' existence, Magnus? How I was not affected by your time-affect spells?"_ Heka said. Magnus only nodded but stated " _We will go back into Materium, Heka. You can explain it to me then"_ Heka agreed.

Magnus decided it was time to go back into reality. Heka sensed it too and gave Magnus a knowing nod. For a moment, Magnus saw a flash of Heka's continual mental battle. He saw Heka, alongside his mirror-self standing guard with the wall of liquid Darkness around them blocking the seemingly countless lithe black entities rushing at Heka. He had no doubt it was from the Mote of Deep. It was both Heka's ally and an opponent. Ally in sense that it seemed to assist Heka in many things but also, an opponent in sense that Mote of Deep Warp was not purified yet, thus was persistent in its attempt to corrupt him since it was unable to take over his mind.

Heka and Magnus looked to the rapidly crumbling ship, by Heka's Command, began to enter into Warp. Magnus, now bound to Heka, knew immediately he would be able to act within Materium, however he would have to rely on being on a same world as Heka or on a same ship, no matter where, which made him consider his options. Magnus then decided Heka should tell him about the Deep once they're safe and in Materium as he recalled the Rubric Marines. He sensed Heka's Rubric Marines were unique in sense that they were modified, while Heka made his ship jump into the Warp.

Heka psychically forced the warp streams of Eye of Terror to guide his crumbling ship, just as he fended off the endless insane entities that streamed towards to his almost non-functioning ship, so heavily damaged by the titanic duels between two powerful psykers, something they suspected that attracted attention of all six Chaos Gods which they saw endless streams of Warp entities rushing after Heka's damaged ship. Magnus focused on protecting this ship, as soon as he mentally took over all of Heka's Rubric Marines. He had them guard the Librarium as he prepared his mind.

Heka observed everything as Rubric Marines moved in place, as they fought the entities that managed to get into his ship. By the force of his will, the black fire began to enshroud the ship weakening the Warp entities mightily. He then focused on getting the ship into Materium, while simultaneously using his psychic energy to power this rapidly non-functioning ship.

Heka then pinpointed the nearest random system away from the Eye of Terror, as he noted this ship had been pushed so far off from the original course toward Armageddon system which annoyed him to use the random Warp Jump but they needed to escape first. Heka then used a burst of his energy to force his ship to jump into the Warp. Heka groaned in pain, as he kept his ship flowing in Warp to the intended system while Magnus and the Rubric Marines fought off the entities.

As soon as the ship, _Waning Moon Secundus,_ translated into the Materium, it lost all of it's function, only to drift listlessly. Heka immediately sensed manylifeforms on one side and the sense of chill on his left side. Heka was horrified as he looked to Magnus that had same reaction. They didn't need to say it. Heka had wondered how they landed in a middle of a war between Necrons and the unknown force.

Heka immediately collapsed on his knees, howling in pain. Magnus could see Heka was shimmering in and out of existence and he could see the Mote of Deep Warp between the shimmers, rebuilding and holding Heka. Magnus suspected then that Heka had become much more weakened to point of non-existence while he himself wasn't much affected only he found he could not access much of his powers.

"TIME-SPACE ANOMALOUS DISJUNCTION ENTITY KNOWN AS HEKA HAS SURFACED IN THE LOCAL REALITY ZONE. WE WELCOME YOU BACK FROM YOUR TRIP INTO DISJUNCTION-DIMENSION AND NOW YOU WILL WAIT WHILE I PERSONALLY ATTEND TO YOU AND YOUR PSYKER FRIEND." The machine voice, filled with authority and hatred, filled the empty hallways of the drifting ship, reaching to both ears of Heka and Magnus. Heka continued to shimmer and slowly, Heka walked, painfully to the deck of the ship from the Librarium. Magnus helped him up, for Heka's legs were seizing with pain. " _Spirit is willing, but body is weak"_ Heka gasped as if for air. Heka's hands were clutching at his chestplate as if having heart pains.

The bolter fire rang as Magnus assisted Heka into the deck of the ship, while Rubric Marines began to wage their tireless guerilla wars in the ship against the invading Necrons. Magnus witnessed the massive space battle between the ships of Tau Meta-Empire and the newly awakened massive forces of the undead Necrontyr as soon as they made it to the deck of the ship, with large windows showing they were a little behind the Necron line. The green lines of Necrons brightly clashed against the blue plasma strikes of Tau, with the graceful curved ships of Necron dancing gracefully against the experienced Tau pilots that appeared to be wiped out in masses as though as they were mere novice pilots facing the masterful gifted pilots.

Both Magnus and Heka knew just how in deep shit they were in because only one thing can be certain: The Tau was losing this conflict, and they did not know what system they were in thanks to this random warp jump. And worst of all, Heka was helpless, as though as his body was rebelling against his will, while Magnus' power had dropped low due to the anti-psyker fields generated by Necron forces. He silently readied his bladed staff filling it with his psychic power for additional damage for combat as a squad of Rubric Marines surrounded them.

Before the psykers, the green flash appeared, with the Rubric Marines immediately aiming their bolters at the green flash. The recognizable but strange Necron Cryptek figure strode forth from the flashpoint and his guards followed. Heka growled in pain as he completely collapsed on his knees, his body seemingly flicking in and out of existence, shuddering in violent pains. Heka could only manage to say the Necron's name "Orikan"


	5. Chapter Four

Heka observed as silently, Orikan walked, holding his staff. Heka knew Orikan held special hatred, as he had not known at the time, but some of his many actions in the galaxy before and after Fall of Imperium of Man, had ruined Orikan's reputation for the accuracy of predictions. In fact, he knew Orikan had grown obsessed with him after not finding him within the time-space continuum and grew exceedingly infuriated at his inability to reverse or turn the past events to his favour as he had done with others. Heka had run into Orikan many times, but this time.. Seeing the modified necron guards and seeing how Orikan made a little modifications over time, he could tell these modifications were to severely weaken him.

"So Heka. This is how you greet your old friend. What a terrible shame" Orikan's voice took on a disappointed and mocking tone. "Yet here we are. I never expected you to come across this little playfield" the Cryptek laughed. "I foresee everything, yet.. You? You exist out of time somehow. I cannot see you nor expect where you land. Yet it is a strange coincidence that you are here" Orikan's voice then became filled with hatred "Once I was curious about you, now only my hatred remains for you, you sullied my reputation and some of my predictions did not pass because of your meddling, Heka" Orikan laughed indignantly. "You have no idea how much I wanted to attend to you personally. I'm sure your friend wouldn't mind"

Magnus spoke before Heka could reply "I'm sure I would mind that. As a father, I would not want you laying hands on him." Magnus knew Heka was truly helpless, he could see the Mote of Deep Warp struggling to hold him together, and spotted space time itself seem to intersect with Heka's body, rippling through it as though as invisible knives were slashing at his body from random places. Magnus' bladed staff blazed with psychic power, it's glow as bright as a blue sun.

Orikan simply ordered his Necron guards to open fire, the Rubric Marines reacted instantly. Soon, the air was filled with the bright green gauss shots and the warpfire-filled bolter rounds. Orikan moved unnaturally fast, as though as time seemed to speed his movements. The Primarch was almost caught surprise, and immediately went on defense.

For a moment, the ship was beginning to break apart. All combatants could feel it and knew it, yet they decided to fight each other, borne of intense hatred by Necrons, and the need of Magnus to escape the fully awakened forces of Necron and to save Heka.

Magnus and Orikan duelled each other, as the cracks on the floor began to give way. Despite seemingly a mortal, Magnus had been a Daemon-Primarch for a long time so he did not require air, while Heka struggled to move, away from the cracks. He kept his helmet on as he is still a mortal, just a very corrupted one. He could have but did not employ the psychic resources of Mote of Deep Warp and knew this time Orikan's force seemed to have employed large anti-psyker fields. He suspect then the organic forces Orikan had been fighting had employed their own psykers thus the Necrons' need for an large anti-psyker field.

After the initial clash and parrying strikes, Magnus and Orikan moved back, this time, they were moving around each other, observing. To Heka, it appeared as if two apex predators were circling each other, watching, waiting for the next move.

Orikan said "I know what you are now. You are disjunction-entity known as Magnus, One of Anathema's Golems." Magnus gazed into Orikan's baleful single green eye, retorting"And I recognize you as Orikan. It would explain why some of my sons had died facing you. I do not intend for one more of my son to die"

Orikan laughed "Die? Oh, no, no. To die is not punishment enough for your son. I am very... very curious about the time-space anomaly your son has become." Orikan looked into near-future to anticipate Magnus' strikes, but suspected Magnus was doing the same. After all, both duellers were the manipulators of time. Orikan continued "After all, he needs a proper … punishment before he can be allowed to die" Magnus could not help but note Orikan's voice was filled with anger.

Magnus also suspected this one was not a Necron, but something else entirely for Orikan had a very bright glow to his being yet this thing commanded the Necron somehow. No matter. Magnus knew he needed to get Heka out, as his options were dwindling rapidly in this moment. He found he had no choice but to fight Orikan then fight his way out of here. Magnus and Orikan then rushed each other other, parrying each other's strike, psychic bladed staff holding it's own against the baleful green highly technologically advanced staff. For duellers, the time seemed to crawl to a pause while for Heka and others, the duel grew more rapid to the point, where even to the eyes of Eldar, they would be blurs as they continued to utilize their abilities to manipulate the timestream to affect the outcome of the duel.

The duel was getting ever more intense that the space time was seemingly torn apart, while the cracks on the floor grew wider. Heka managed to take control of the Rubric Marines despite the intense his headache-like pain and re-directed the bolter fire at the Lynchguards that appeared to be modified. Already, half of his remaining Rubric Marines were permanently lost, their armours dissolving after multiple gauss strikes, or being wholly dissolved by the entire swarms of Necron Scarabs. Heka was too weakened to even do anything. That and despite his strong will, he found himself blacking out every few seconds at the time, but Heka also noticed that the blackouts were getting longer. He saw Magnus using all his powers he could manage to bring out. No Thousand Sons other than Magnus could still employ their powers within the anti-psychic field.

Magnus was tiring rapidly as he used both his physical strength and psychic strength with every strike. "If only that anti-psychic field wasn't being generated." Thought Magnus. Magnus could sense the killing intent of that thing that was both a Necron and not Necron. He could not put a finger to it. Time seemed to both speed up and at same time slow down. Every perfect strikes and parry began to tear up the ship's deck, and all sounds seemingly rushed out, only to be covered in silence of the void.

Heke crawled his way to the seat of the ship despite his pain and managed to collapse on it. He knew the Necrons had been ordered not to kill him, for he saw their gauss rounds shooting past him. He wondered if this would be his last moment, as he growled in pain, refusing the Mote of Deep Warp's offers. The Mote of Deep Warp had known not to try taking over his body to save his life, but at this moment, it was trying to hold his atoms together, to keep him real. Heka knew that. But at this moment, he was trying to work out the solution, seeking a way for him and Magnus to get out. He tried to delay the next blackout he could feel coming but his body simply refused.

Magnus sensed Heka blacked out, causing him to immediately move, just as the Necrons began to swarm into the deck. Only a circle of remaining Rubric Marines tirelessly defended Heka, with their bolter guns and Khopesh swords filled with the fires of Warp. Magnus now not only fought Orikan but also fought the Necrons that just entered the room to protect the ancient Rubricae. Magnus despaired to see endless valuable experiments vanish within the permanent destruction of one of Rubric Marines as he felt Heka was at much further progress than he was. The Daemon-Primarch was planning to study Heka's Rubric Marines and see what he had done so far, as he was well and truly impressed with the Heka's Rubric Marines.

Magnus then rapidly found himself earning the scratches on his bare arms, his arms burning with pain, for even a Primarch could not focus on many enemies at once, especially when they made use of anti-psychic technologies. When Magnus sensed a lethal strike coming at him from the back, Magnus spun and clove the head of an unfortunate Necron just as he was struck in his back by a Tachyon arrow fired by Orikan. He roared in intense pain as his body shook. And then the a shockwave rang from Magnus' body, followed by a bright flash that blinded and knocked back even Orikan and dissolved several nearby unfortunate Necrons where even their reanimation protocols could not save them. Magnus was still alive, but this time, he was too exhausted after a rapid duel that for both of them seemed like it was days' worth due to their time manipulations. All Necrons in the room, Orikan included, were surprised at Magnus' survival, for Tachyon arrow were known to be extremely lethal to other races.

Orikan simply smiled as Magnus collapsed in defeat after fighting multiple foes and surviving a lethal strike capable of piercing into a heart of a mountain. He once thought of sending both of them to Szeras in exchange of any information, for despite most intense cruelty Szeras had employed to his captured subjects, he was rather effective in gleaning information from them, but now… Orikan decided to keep them both to study them before he sent them away to their doom. He watched as the last Rubric Marine devoured by the seemingly endless swarm of Scarabs, after fighting so many opponents at same time. He then ordered his Necron guards to imprison them with the Labyrinth and send them to his ship.

When Heka woke up, he found himself floating in a middle of the holographic-like cube, with four monolithic structures binding him in place. Heka noted he was not in his ship but in a middle of what he assumed to be Orikan's ship. He observed the Necron architecture, looking at the green lines and the impossibly immaculate room, filled with rows upon rows of what he assumed to be workbenches but he could not be sure. He saw Necron warriors of many varieties facing him, standing guard just in case. He noticed the silent Orikan standing behind them, observing him as he woke.

Heka looked up and saw a similar smaller containment device containing the exhausted Magnus. Heka attempted to employ his powers only to find he could not draw from the Mote of the Deep Warp. As much as he struggled, his body would not move under his will. He noted the containment device was quite oppressive in countless ways but not as oppressing as Star Father's false angels, holding holding his body perfectly in place, while allowing his head and eyes to be free to move. He noted he was still in his battle armour which was fortunate, but wondered why the Necrons had not removed it. Heka saw Orikan moving in front of his warriors.

Orikan gazed at Heka and "smiled" cruelly. Heka noted, through his excellent eyesight that the nanites were writhing in Orikan's face. The ancient Cryptek simply said "Anathema's Golem is exhausted after all. He is an organic that obeys the rules of Materium and time-space, quite unlike you. But I will ensure he is with you, if it makes it easier for me to study your… interesting properties" The Cryptek chuckled mirthlessly as he left the room. Heka ascertained they were in the Tasseract Labyrinths, considered infamous amongst the denizens of Warp. He scanned the room, and noted his Second Sight could not pierce through the walls of this room, and he realized then he was trapped inside a ship that snuffed out any of their ability to use their psychic power. Heka felt helpless and he hated it. Heka then blacked out after the brutal pressure of the Tasseract Labyrinth, unable to stay awake.

Heka dreamed. This time, he was in a strange place, on a strange land that he could not recognize. He saw Magnus. Magnus simply said " _We are in a dream. I do not recognize this place as well, but we are both still trapped in the Tasseract Labyrinths."_ Magnus looked around in the dream curiously " _My mirror-self within you informs me that this is not your dream, and I am sure it is not mine, yet we can still talk while we are both trapped by the Necrons"_

Heka and Magnus explored the strange grassland landscape that seems so gentle on the eyes. The sky was blue, and the sun was yellow, and there were a few wispy clouds in the sky. The snowy mountains were at a distance, and they walked alongside the large lake. Ahead and on side of Magnus and Heka, were seemingly endless forests of pine trees that ended at the mountain. It appeared to be spring, where the snow had already melted under the sun, and the remainder of snow only appeared to be at the mountains.

Magnus mused " _I should remember this or know this landscape. It feels strangely familiar to me yet I do not know this place."_ Heka looked at Magnus " _You are a Primarch. You've been here longer than I have. It does not feel familiar… but you hail from Terra-That-Was and I, from Prospero." "Yes, I have considered that"_ Magnus smiled, knowing Heka remembered all of their old conversations. They were old friends after all. Magnus noticed Heka's hatred for him had lessened a little. He thought about his own failures to cure the Rubric Marines, and Heka's failures reflected his own in many ways. " _Some daemons that were once imprisoned within the Tasseract Labyrinths in the forty-first Millennium, told me truthfully, that it was impossible for them to dream. That it was a complete darkness"_ Magnus mused on the words of his former ally long before that unfortunate daemon had been destroyed by Heka. " _We should not be dreaming here. Not possible, yet here… we are. Strange"_ Magnus nodded for Heka to follow him as he walked on in the familiar yet unfamiliar place they were in. Heka did so.

Magnus then asked as they walked on, seeing the paths form before their very eyes. " _What Orikan said.. Is it true?" "He speaks true. I exist out of time. I should not exist. Without the Mote of Deep Warp, I would not exist. I destroyed my own existence in every dimension, for I would rather not exist at all than to become a slave of that that monster."_ Heka shuddered at the memory of that monster. The only time he knew true fear when he saw that monster in Deep Warp " _Somehow, thanks to the Mote of Deep Warp, I'm here but if we don't get out soon, my plans will not progress through and galaxy will suffer much sooner"_ Heka warned as Magnus and Heka sensed a god-like presence.


	6. Chapter Five

To Heka's surprise, the presence was similar to Emperor himself. Too similar, for he never forgot Emperor's unique psychic signature, as he met Emperor in person, and that very presence was burnt into his memories even though he could recall everything perfectly. Somehow, he sensed that presences' strength eclipsed his own. That strength… It was borne from Warp, yet it was completely pure. It should be impossible. Not even Grey Knights' psychic powers were completely pure. This was proven by Star Father when Heka fought the corrupted Grey Knights that followed Star Father, the lost Grey Knights who did not manage to make it to Titan after the death of Emperor. Untainted and pure, and clearly, god-like without being attached to the monster in Deep Warp, something Heka considered, to be impossible, for only Emperor was pure and untainted. Only He was pure.

Heka turned to Magnus and saw the look on the Primarch's eye. " _It can't be. No. it cannot be. It's not right, it cannot be. I've seen Father die. He died the moment he killed Horus. How is this possible?"_ Magnus mumbled as he tried to process what was happening.

Both Heka and Magnus were speechless as the mighty presence became ever more brighter as they neared the forest. The trees then parted way for two psykers of Thousand Sons, forming a clear path laden with roots forming as the "foot path". Magnus recovered from his initial shock faster few seconds than Heka, his face set, as he moved onward. " _Let's go, we'll need to find out the one whose presence is too similar to Father's"_ Magnus said.

As Magnus and Heka walked, the trees slowly and slightly changed to have bookshelves within their trunks, where the endless books seemed to fly from nowhere, from the sky, from the ground, even from the roots themselves flew. The forest grew denser, and denser until the sky itself were covered by the large branches yet their path were open, kept straight. The tree trunks seemed to becoming closer until they almost formed into the bookshelf/walls, in a very unorganized way, the "walls" began to close in, as if becoming a natural shrinking corridor, as though as they were but veins connected to a large orifice.

Somehow, the air did not choke, nor become oppressing. It simply became fresher as the psykers of Thousand Sons walked. They had no choice but to walk on, aware they were being led on. They did not sense any danger, but they warily kept their psychic defences up. Every second trees began to reveal a mirror-like look into alternate timelines, alternate universes, some of which Heka was aware of, and others he was not aware of, but Magnus did not seem to know, for he had not fallen into Deep Warp nor witnessed alternate universes as Heka had. Both Magnus and Heka looked into the mirrors and saw their alternate selves as well as others walking in their paths, copying their actions as though as this was a mirror.

The forest grew darker, and the path became lit by the "mirrors" that strangely acted as a source of dim light. Heka and Magnus noticed the tree trunks had fully transformed into a bookshelf. The mirrors began to shrink in size, until they became pages of the strange books that began to open randomly, revealing light from the mirror-pages, they were able to see in the near-complete darkness. As they progressed on, the corridors began to widen again, and this time, they saw a large mirror-like door. It opened automatically for them.

After the door opened, both Magnus and Heka walked into the large room. Both of them noted that the room seemed to form into a large throne room, made out of "wooden" crystals, each of the books were flying in and out. For a time being, the books kept flying. After a while, the books began to clear up, as soon as both Magnus and Heka heard a gentle voice from the throne speak one word. Soft and gentle, but at same time, that voice was also commanding and filled with authority.

Magnus and Heka were puzzled as they saw there was no one in the room yet there was a throne made of the living wood, with trillions little spots that contained countless tiny books. A bookshelf throne, Heka figured as he observed the features of a strange throne. The bookshelf throne formed like a large seat, made for a giant figure, but the voice definitely came from the throne. Both of them at the same time came to a conclusion that the voice came from WITHIN the throne and that the wooden throne was large enough to fit Emperor himself.. Heka and Magnus were about to move forward to inspect the throne when the shock wave pulse rush past them, strong enough to knock them off their feet, as though as an invisible giant god-machine stepped in front of them.

As soon as Magnus and Heka recovered and started to stand on their feet, looking around for the source of the shock wave, as they could not detect it even though the bright psyker signature shone within the throne and felt within the throne. They communicated silently, theorizing the figure was somewhere beneath the throne and wondered if the mechanism was somewhere.

To Magnus' and Hekas' surprise and amazement, the throne began to transform and shift, at once changing into a strange liquid that washed over all of the floor, only to recess back, forming into a gentle figure that seemed to flicker in and out of existence, like a hololithic projection. Compared to Heka and Magnus, they are giants, in appearance, survivors of Great Crusade, Horus Heresy, the figure was as tall as a mere human being, but Magnus and Heka immediately knew that despite their physical size differences, the figure that finished transforming into a young man in his average height of a human being, significantly was more powerful than these two. And they could not help but be reminded of Emperor, so much that Magnus and Heka were speechless.

Heka also noted something was strange about this figure. He was in many aspects similar to Neverborn. That he had not been born yet, but at same time, he existed in this place. An impossibility. Too impossible. And yet he could sense that figure did not exist within time-space. Similar to him, but unlike himself, the figure was uncorrupted, untouched by that monster in Deep Warp. Another impossibility. In every way, that figure was an impossibility and his mind tried to search for information. He saw Emperor die. He saw Emperor transform into Star Father, a twisted Chaos Slave that fed upon the adorations of Imperium. Yet that figure was related to Emperor somehow. It was as if he was meeting an aspect of Emperor. Heka could sense Magnus was thinking the same thing.

The figure stood silent, giving them a bow, welcoming them, his voice gentle, but effortlessly strong. "Welcome, Magnus, son of Emperor. You were expected" The young figure smiled gently facing Magnus then turned to Heka "You are a welcome unexpected guest, Wandering Sorcerer. I heard many tales about you." He walked forward, his coat of many colors began to show, as the wooden parts seemed to fall off his body, as though as the flickering figure was shedding his wooden body, like a butterfly rising out of the cocoon.

"And we are similar in some ways, Wandering Sorcerer" The strange figure continued speaking as he walked around, observing the giants."Just as much as I am related to Magnus in that we are a kin. The only difference…" the figure continued, as he summoned a tiny star on his right hand. Magnus and Heka were surprised to see a star that looked similar to Prospero's sun "is that I am directly descended from Him. I am sure you already figured by now that I am somehow related to my Grandfather, Magnus." The figure looked up from the sun and smiled. "I've been waiting for you for a long time." And then he looked to Heka "And you are a strange one. I feel sorry for you though, Wandering Sorcerer"

Magnus asked "the only ones I know who are related to Emperor are we Primarchs, the direct handwork of Emperor, and our Legion. I have not come across nor heard of you yet you speak true." Magnus continued as he observed the human "We sense you are in many ways similar to my son in that you are an impossible existence, however you are untainted quite unlike us and it feels as though as you are a living Aspect of Emperor." Magnus peered into the figure's form through his Second Sight "Your compassion is quite strong. Only Emperor that this kind of compassion and now you do. You are unlike the Grey Sensei somehow"

The figure simply said "I am unlike them, just as much as you are very unlike your Legion, that you've fallen away from the grips of Chaos thanks to the Wandering Sorcerer's effort." Heka walked forth.

"Not an easy task. We are trapped in a Necron ship, walking through our dream within a place that does not allow dreams yet you somehow managed it. That is impossible, and that is even beyond our captor's abilities to induce a dreaming in us." Heka simple smiled "Even with the Mote of Deep Warp, that I am sure you've already noticed in me by now, I cannot do that. Not even it can."

"Of course. I have yet to introduce myself, my brethren and I apologize for this rudeness. I suspect you already know what I am." The figure floated backwards to the place where the throne was, the mound of liquid began to rise from the floor and began to morph into a bookshelf throne. "I do not have a name yet, for I am yet to be born. Only you and your son, Wandering Sorcerer, already know the truth. I am Emperor's Compassion made manifest when Grandfather died the moment he threw away his compassion in order to kill Horus." The figure's smile slightly turned to frown. "In a way, Lord Magnus, you and Grandfather are similar. You lost your eye. Emperor lost his compassion. I am his Compassionate Aspect made manifest. Heka is your "other" eye made returned somehow."

Both Magnus and Heka were horrified by the revelation. Not even their theorizing about this figure and how this figure was the literal Aspect of Revelation made manifest prepared them for this revelation. Not even one of their theories that Emperor died the moment he cast his Compassion to kill Horus prepared them for this, as it was one of the things they wanted it not to be true, that it was just a mere rambling. They knew this figure was right as they saw memories of Emperor making a hard decision, sensing His love for the misguided Horus. They were shocked at the revelation that the Emperor himself fractured, effectively having died back on Terra at the end of Horus Heresy. They saw visions of Star Father. They knew it then. Star Father was one of corrupted Aspects of Emperor after His living body, strapped to the Golden Throne was stabbed by His order by the Dark Angel warrior. Magnus and Heka came to conclusion this was Cypher.

The figure simply stated "I am known as Revelation, for I am known by that title, when for some reason, the knowledge I shared with my allies upon my first time meeting them was a revelation to them. I tell you this now, what I have not told others, honored psykers of Thousand Sons. Emperor was long since dead. The God-Emperor on Terra? One of His fractured Aspects, only the most powerful."

The room shook a little bit, and Revelation turned around. "We will meet again. It is time to wake up, Wandering Sorcerer and Magnus".

Heka could only smile and say as he bowed to Revelation, his arms automatically moving into the Imperial salute, something he had not done for a long time since Great Crusade "I am Heka. It is easier that way. I don't need to be called by these titles." Magnus and Revelation looked at Heka in surprise, for somehow Heka remained humble despite his experiences as the dream was beginning to end and they knew they won't forget this dream, and they had a feeling it would not be the only time they talked.


	7. Chapter Six

Heka woke up, with Orikan standing before him. He noticed that Orikan had moved him to a different room, or different ship. He couldn't tell however for the internal of Necron ships had always been the same yet Heka could tell these rooms could be different, to be reconfigured at any command. Dim and dark. Void of artistry that Heka was accustomed to seeing on other ships.

Even the most austere ships of Imperium were more artistic and lively. Even the most spartan of Mechanicus ships were more stylized and warmer than the Necron ship Heka was in. The interior of the Necron ship was so empty, dim and dark save for the dim sickly green glow present on the walls. The hallways and the rooms were made for efficiency,

But for some reason, the dimensions of ships made Heka think they were not meant for the prisoners or the organic visitors as he couldn't shake a niggling feeling that they could be reconfigured at any time, no, they were meant for what the fearsome Necrons once were, for Heka came across their extremely fragmented history from the Eldar libraries on the long-since lifeless craftworlds he visited., as Necrons in his experience, never revealed their history in any shape or form.

Heka had sensed Magnus was being moved with him after observing the inside of Necron ship. Orikan said "Magnus seemed to suffer when you and he were apart. I also noted that when he suffered, you suffered. Interesting. It is a shame I cannot separate you two, or else, you both could simply escape to that disjunction space, if i moved you far apart from each other."

Heka was horrified, realizing the implications. If Magnus suffered, he would suffer. The opposite was also true. He had realized the strength of the shared psychic bond they held as Orikan continued in a very hateful tone "And it would be an annoying shame to find you again, Heka" Heka wondered if he was lucky, or unlucky that they happened to drop into real space from Warp when Orikan's forces were annihilating the forces of Tau Meta-Empire.

Orikan smiled humorlessly as he went up close to Heka. "Today will be an interesting day, no?" Heka felt the pressure weaken on his head, allowing him to move his head around. Heka knew Orikan allowed his head to move and then saw Orikan was pointing down. Heka looked down and saw the swarms of Nanite "bugs" begin to spill into his armour.

Heka felt countless swarms of scarab moving around his body, going up near his face. Any mortal would have screamed in terror, nor wail in suffering and despair due to countless sharp legs and endless biting. Heka was no mere mortal. He had lived for a very long time since Horus Heresy. As the swarms began to climb to his head, but not touching his face. Heka had not screamed, despite the pain on his body. He saw his body flickering in and out, and saw the swarm try to reach for the Mote of Deep Warp each time he flicked out of existence.

Heka chuckled, his pain showing despite repressing the urge. "And you would invite the fount of madness and corruption, Orikan? You are foolish, if you've hoped to become a god. For the ancient race, you know nothing of Deep Warp"

Orikan merely grinned as he replied "Oh but we will find a way. To prevent your master from rising from the Deep. To prevent the universe from eroding into nothing."

"You think the Dissolution Lord is my master?" Heka laughed as the swarm began to move into his mouth "I am my own master. That thing will never be my master, nor will you or Necrons become my master" Heka began to roar and scream as the nanite scarab swarms began to dissect his constantly painfully regenerating body, as if to attempt to eat him from inside, just as he flickered in and out of existence, held together by the Mote of Deep Warp, spilling the nanite swarms out of his body as they resurged, redoubling their attempts every time they were removed from his body, spilling through the chinks of Heka's ancient power armor of Thousand Sons before their fall.

Orikan merely smiled "We shall see" as his Canoptek mindshackle scarab crawled up onto Heka's back then attempted to burrow itself into his neck. Orikan was shocked when the mindshackle Scarab was corrupted by the Mote of Deep Warp, forcibly disconnected from Necron network as it began to transform into an organic bug. It was then poisoned by the Mote of Deep Warp and ended up as a dead fleshly mess as a corrupted bug that had several eyes on it's body. Orikan was furious as the Mote had defended both itself and its host.

Over and over, the scarabs continued to penetrate Heka's body and Magnus' body. However, Orikan was not interested in the Primarch, even though Magnus had a wealth of genetic information on his own. Orikan was invested in Heka, sending many swarms upon his body, and he kept modifying the mindshackle scarabs many times over, to no avail. Both Magnus and Heka remained resilient, and they both felt their bodies weaken greatly, as they suffered.

Many times, Orikan did not hesitate to take an opportunity to have the swarms of nanite Scarabs consume Heka's hands, eyes, tongue. Sometimes to silence his screams, sometimes to penetrate deeply before they fell out of Heka's flicking existence. Other times they filled his orifices. Magnus felt Heka's pains due to their bonds, yet Magnus was unfazed, having seen much worse things in the hellish realms of Warp.

Magnus could tell Heka's arms were dislocated, his hands cut off even though his armour did not show it. He suspected Orikan was taking care to preserve Hekas armour and surmised Orikan had encountered Heka's shadows sometime in the past. Magnus observed Heka's suffering, and agonies, even as he suffered the scarab swarm. Unlike Heka, the Scarab swarms only ran over his body however and Magnus suspected these scarabs were collecting information on his body.

Orikan moved and ensured Heka's prison could be fully observed by Magnus, just so Magnus would suffer at the sight of what had been done to his son. Magnus watched as Heka suffer and knew Heka had voluntarily drew in more pain, for he suffered as well, only less, as Magnus understood it was likely that Heka realized the strength of the psychic bound they shared. Magnus noted he felt much less pain and he sensed Heka was pulling in as much pain as he could towards himself, like grey sands drawn towards to the magnet. Magnus knew he always had been selfless, remembering his actions that brought several worlds to the rising Imperium of Man in the 30th Millennium without conflict.

"I will accomplish my goals, no matter how long it takes" Orikan growled, infuriated at Heka's constant recovery. Heka had nothing to say, for he continuously screamed. Orikan then departed, leaving Magnus and Heka to suffer the countless scarabs.

After a week of torturing Heka, studying both captive psykers, while for the captives, it seemed like a month, Orikan gathered the data from his scarabs as they harvested information and data from their bodies. He was silently frustrated as he could not understand some of the data transmitted by the scarabs, for some of the information had defied logic.

Orikan returned to inspect Magnus and Heka that had been deprived of their sleep for a week. The cruel necron smiled "Illuminor Szeras had taught me a thing or two when I visited him. I am not quite done with you" The insecticide machine swarm left Heka's body, departing his armor. Orikan then forced Heka to look at him through the gravitational field, just as Heka's regenerated, allowing him to see again.

"How is it that you foiled my plan? How is it that you managed to prevent me from altering the outcomes to occur according to my prediction?" Orikan was furious "You know I've hated you for a long time. You will die a lot quicker if you explain everything. If not, I will let you die slowly, and I will happily invite my kind friend, Illuminor Szeras to "treat" you." Orikan walked closer, his face close to Heka's helmet.

Heka laughed despite the pain of his tongue and teeth regenerating "You don't understand, do you? Have you not noticed why you could not see me in the time?" Orikan looked at Heka, with a vicious glare.

Annoyed, Orikan replied "Enlighten me, Heka. I have formulated countless theories and yet to work this out. I am entertaining on the theory that one of my people may have enhanced you, yet the scarabs cannot even find any evidence." Orikan then turned to Heka, his head tilted, just as he moved closer to Heka.

"Oh, so you have no clue. Trapped by the Materium, bound to the reality, and rendered soulless by the C'tan. " Heka smiled as he coughed out blood, making sure not to reveal what he suspected Orikan to be.

Orikan turned to Heka in the sullen calmness "Then enlighten me. What have I been missing out so far... human?" Orikan replied in an insulting tone, as like Necrons, he had considered humans to be lesser creatures than they.

Magnus was quiet as he observed the interactions between Orikan and Heka. Heka was quite unlike the Thousand Sons. Then again.. Heka was in many ways. He wondered how Heka managed to remain this self-sacrificing as he had felt Heka draw in most of Magnus' pain into him, which allowed the Primarch to observe, even as the scarabs dug into the surface of his body for a time before exiting, to allow the Primarch to regenerate. Magnus noted Heka had no sense of fear, which may have been affected by Mote of Deep Warp, unlike other Space Marines who simply had a different way of dealing with their fears.

Heka spoke as he coughed again, "You never considered on one thing"

Orikan grew intrigued "Yes?"

Heka chuckled "On a simple fact that I am not supposed to exist in the first place. That I should have not been born. That I do not exist within the time itself, Orikan. Did you ever consider that?"

Orikan replied scornfully "That is impossible. Your answer defies logic and reason. It is that, or you are lying, for that is a trait of humans, in their fear, would do anything to save their skin"

Heka shook his head "I am not afraid. Why would I lie about that?"

Orikan frowned as he walked around, appearing to think and consider his options, but Heka knew that Orikan could think faster than a mortal, just like any high ranked Necrons he knew of. Heka waited as Orikan walked around Heka's Tesseract Labyrinth. Orikan made sure to move the device into the centre, just so Heka could be the centre of attention while Magnus' Labyrinth was moved to the wall, facing Heka.

Heka, at this point, finished regenerating fully, just as he felt his body. None of the scarabs were able to get to his brain, which Heka was quite grateful for the Mote of Deep Warp, as it protected his mind from being penetrated. He silently observed Orikan move their Tesseract Labyrinths silently.

Orikan finished moving the Tesseract Labyrinths then silently left Heka and walked to Magnus. "Hmm. You are interesting. I've done my studies on your body for a time while my Scarabs thoroughly… "researched" your son." Orikan's voice took on a respectful tone " It seems Anathema was quite exact, from the moment of your biological formation. " Orikan shook his head a little "You are a disjunction entity, parts of your body defies the reason." Magnus felt Orikan release his head, allowing him to look around.

"You were a mortal once, Magnus, I wonder if you still are? I can see that you are biological, capable of existing within this plane" Orikan muttered as he observed Magnus' form, "Somehow, you transformed into a disjunction entity, but I do not quite... understand"

Magnus smiled "It is natural, for your soulless kind. I have noticed Warp seems to evade your touch" Magnus turned his head to Orikan "You wish to shunt out the Materium from Warp, for I have seen your edifices on Cadia."

"Not just that. The disjunction realm is anathema to us, as much as our anti-psychic technology is anathema to you and Heka, and of course, you both are disjunction entities" Orikan simply smiled, Magnus couldn't tell if it was a genuine smile or a sinister smile, but banked on the latter as Orikan continued "I will let you and your son sleep for the night. It was quite rude of me to keep you awake" Orikan turned around. "And of course, I will leave both of your heads free for my own little purposes. For biologicals, sleep is very important, don't you think?" Orikan turned away and left.

Magnus and Heka looked at each other, and Magnus appreciated Heka's sacrifice but pleaded with him "My son, you did not have to do this, you know. I am amazed you were somehow able to draw the pain into your, the pain I've felt."

Heka looked at Magnus "I know, but I cannot allow you suffer Orikan's hatred towards me." He smiled "I am a little tired after all. We were both kept awake for so long. Any human would have gone mad"

Magnus chuckled "I suppose so, even a normal Space Marine would not handle this. You have somehow." He smiled "We have both gone mad, have we not, Heka?"

The Red Sorcerer looked at his Crimson King "We both have." Heka began to nod off, falling into the precious sleep, same as Magnus, blacking out. Mysteriously, they began to dream in a place where they shouldn't be able to dream, as they were unable to resist the lures of the sleep.


	8. Chapter Seven

Heka and Magnus found themselves walking on the large page of a massive book. They looked around, and saw their footsteps seemed to act as ink. They noticed the inky footsteps formed into countless little insects that run around on the pages of the giant book. It was as if the book was writing itself as Heka and Magnus walked on. Heka looked up from the book and saw it was just a blue sky, with the sun in the centre of it. An afternoon in this realm to Heka and Magnus, as they felt warm in the strange place, at a constant room temperature and there were no winds howling through.

The enigmatic figure floated before them, levitating above the pages of book. Magnus and Heka recognized the powerful strange psychic signature filled with compassion " _Revelation"_ Magnus was about to bow as he recognized Revelation to be one of God-Emperor's Aspects. The uncorrupted one as far as he knew.

" _Please, my honored friends. I am not some Lord you need to bow to."_ Revelation turned around, his figure remaining the same as the previous dream. Magnus and Heka looked at Revelation, as they did not bow this time, halted by his words. " _So what do you think the book represents to you?"_ Revelation asked.

Heka and Magnus looked at each other " _We're not sure, we have yet to work it out, as it can mean many things"_ Magnus replied. Heka remained silent " _All we know is that this is a huge book that seems to have no end, and our footsteps form ink apparently"_

Revelation smiled " _Exactly. You two have fulfilled one competing prophecy and denied the other. In a grand scheme of things, prophecies dance around the stars, dueling with each other"_ Revelation observed both Heka and Magnus as they came closer to him " _as though as waves of the oceans on other worlds clash against each other. "_ Revelation turned and beckoned them to follow the enigmatic figure.

The feminine voice of a seer, clearly of an old woman's voice slowly whispered into minds of Heka and Magnus.

 _One of the sons of a broken father will walk on the dim-lit path, free from the grips ones so dark and evil. Alongside him, the one I cannot see. Not supposed to exist, and unseen by even me._

 _I sense he is abominable beyond all reason, of whom many will worship. I sense he is not quite what they will think of him. A monster so monstrous that even Time itself found his existence abhorrent. An impossible existence. Many will see his power at the behest of… Four? Five? Six? Not sure. Cannot see who the master is but it cannot be pleasant and most surprisingly abomination will defy them all._

 _Yet that abomination has defied the monster and freed one of the sons of the broken father from the grip of the dark lords of the oceans. Why… is he so noble? But he is a monster. And I may not be able to see him but I sense he is becoming one of the dark ones. How could he be so noble?_

 _Why… do I feel his hidden voice weep for the last of his kin dying on a world he once called home long before he sailed out to the stars with a thousand brothers? That is all I sense of him, of what time will permits me to know. It abhors him. Despises every fiber of his existence, down to his soul even._

 _I do know he will affect the course of the End War, and his friend, one of the sons of the broken father, freed from the grip of the dark ones, will join his brothers. We need the freed son of the broken father. To prevent the dark ones from consuming all life._

 _I am sorry. I am at the end of my life and this is what I can offer you, hidden one. This is where my prophecy ends and the last gift I have offered you and the last thing I can tell you, aside my advice to stop hiding and take your destined place as the Emperor of Man._

And the voice that both Magnus and recognized to be Emperor's responded " _That is no help. I do know there is a dark time coming. But I must keep myself hidden, for I want humanity to think for itself beyond the confines of religion. I am just a man. Now.. who is this son and who is this.. Abomination and who… is this broken father? and why tell me these things? They are not relevant to me or my long-term plans."_ At that this time, Magnus and Heka heard a single blip. " _Ah you have passed away. You were helpful in many ways. I will not dwell on this irrelevant last prophecy this time, as it is not relevant to my plans."_ Emperor said. And then they heard the sounds of him turning and walking away.

As though as Emperor did not care, but Magnus suspected that Emperor had closed himself emotionally as much as he could, which could explain some of the poor treatment of His Sons. He suspected that Emperor was like that because he lived so long, that time itself took away many of his loved ones. He was a Human after all but then Magnus shook himself from his curiosity and looked to Heka.

Magnus knew Heka's history, said "Are you alright Heka?" Magnus was concerned, as it took him a few years to repair Heka mentally. Eventually Heka had recovered but now? Magnus grew concerned he sensed Heka's emotions shift from curiosity to despair. Heka was looking down for a moment, just looking at his armoured hands. For a moment, Heka was silent, on his knees, his form shifting in and out of existence.

Magnus heard Heka's old voice. The one he had not heard for a long time. Heka had shifted to his form again, the one Magnus saw in his memory-dream when he shook Heka's human hand. " _I've done what I… I've been doing everything I can. Why isn't this working?! I've used medicae equipment. I've used all of my power!"_

The dream changed. Revelation and Magnus found themselves within Heka's old house. It was small and simple, with countless bookshelves arrayed everywhere. Magnus never saw Heka's house, for Heka showed Magnus the ashes of his old burnt down house

Before Magnus did anything, Revelation said to him specifically " _Allow me to go to Heka, my friend. I've sensed his pain for a long time and knew you both fulfilled this prophecy. Did you know that this seer was the only one, the very only one who prophesied him yet could not find out who Heka was?"_ Revelation smiled as he waved Magnus to explore while he attended to Heka as he was weeping over the body of his daughter. Magnus observed her youthful countenance.

Heka buried his face over her body, weeping mumbling in Prosperine tongue. Magnus suspected Heka was brought back to this state, silently blaming Revelation as he had just undone years of work he had done to mentally repair Heka. He had glared at Revelation, waiting to see what he would do, for he was still concerned about Heka.

Revelation knelt next to Heka, and both of them were silently communicating. The room began to shift before the eyes of Magnus and Magnus knew somehow Revelation was able to get Heka to open up his traumatic memories, and suspected he had used same methods Magnus had used to help coax Heka out of his despair, but somehow he doubted it, as he sensed Revelation's method was far more refined, more skilled and had more compassionate touch than his.

Magnus witnessed Heka's memories. From his childhood now to their first meeting. He saw Heka was not very well-liked and was isolated. Magnus found he could hear Heka's thoughts. There was no rage. No anger. Just sadness. Some kids had taunted him, and Magnus sensed some envied his psychic strength. Some feared it. Some thought it was unfair. Of course, for Heka was one of the few alpha-plus psykers to be born in 30th Millennium. Magnus had expected kids to be in awe of Heka's psychic power and was shocked when they were not.


	9. Chapter Eight

Magnus searched for a reason when he heard thoughts of other kids. He knew Heka, without his knowledge or meaning to, had read their minds with casual ease. One of the reasons why the children didn't want to associate themselves with Heka was because of history, what they learned in the Libraries and the recorded dangers of the Great Ocean, or attract the very large swarms of psychneuein wasps. It was also thought within the village "the greater your psychic strength was, the greater danger and worse omen you will bring" Magnus had disagreed vehemently with that statement.

And then the villagers who envied Heka's powers, had schemed and conspired to take his powers through any means, no matter how dangerous, no matter if it would draw the sharks from the Great Oceans to them. Surprisingly yet, none dared to spring their plans, for they were extremely crippled by their wild imaginations and implications that Heka already knew their plans and could act to destroy them.

And some thought it was unfair that from the beginning, he had a greater psychic strength than them. They stayed away, whispering things behind Heka's back, unaware that he knew what they were thinking.

Because of that, Heka was isolated in his childhood, his only friend was an old man who took him in. His parents had not come from this village, as they hailed from another now-dead village infested by the wasps. They sacrificed themselves to save Heka from the psychneuein wasps. He was raised by a kindly old librarian in the village whom everyone liked and knew. They wondered why would that old man would take in Heka, the child who is likely to bring most disaster on that village.

As Heka grew, Magnus saw Heka's already substantial might grew with him, he saw Heka was learning in the Librarium quickly, with the old man coaching him, teaching him the ways and psychic disciplines. He was reminded of his own human teachers who soon had nothing to teach him, yet even in his early teenage age, Heka was lonely, without friends. All he had wanted was a friend. His greatest talents lay in the Biomancy, which he enjoyed doing so.

At that time, the children mocked and threw stuff at him, called him mean names. The adults stayed away, and did not intervene for they believed Heka could be a walking disaster, as his psychic power could draw in those psychneuein wasps. Heka looked despaired, as he returned to the library, with the old man consoling him. Magnus grinded his teeth, as his rage grew at Heka's treatment.

Despite it all, Heka continued to help the people silently. He did not say his name. The poor in the village did not react to Heka's presence and accepted whatever he gave as he walked past them to the Library, his only place of refuge. Even then.. Some of the poor people had rejected his offerings, fearful of attracting the psychneuein wasps even though he left things for them there. Some other poor people silently followed Heka from a distance, protecting him from the worst of the kids. Despite it all, Heka was kind to everyone he's encountered. He even healed the sick from a distance.

Magnus witnessed Heka's most significant memory. Heka met a young girl, just as a mere decade old. As old as he was at the time, in his darkest childhood hours, a beacon of light shone in his life, when he met the young blonde girl. She had blue eyes, thin and healthy. She came from a middle-class family. She smiled as she ran up to Heka, for the first time genuinely curious about him. That surprised Heka and he grew suspicious until he read her thoughts. Something she seemed to be aware of.

Magnus sensed this first meeting had an impact on him and would change him forever. "Hello there, what is your name?" The young girl said as she smiled genuinely. No schemes, no backstabbing, no general unkindness. Not at all. Heka was taken aback. He had no way to react, unlike other boys and girls who were mean to him, and he had varying several responses to them prepared. He was always known as That sarcastic kid.

"Uhm. Well, I'm Heka. That Sarcastic kid who lives in the Library." Heka was nervous. "Well! I am Hathor! The girl who just lives nearby!" She smiled and offered her hand. Heka gingerly reached out. This girl was patient, and Heka knew she was aware of him and his reputation. How could she not? All villagers thought him to be an unfolding catalyst for disaster.

Magnus watched as Heka and the girl talked for a time until her parents dragged the girl away from him, they were berating her for interacting with him that could bring disaster to their family. Heka understood and saw that young girl wave at him as she moved with her parents. As a result, Heka had been in a better mood. Magnus realized if not for her, Heka wouldn't had been the Good Man he knew. Heka would not see her for a few years but Magnus knew Heka did not stop thinking about that single moment as he held on it while surviving the rough few years.

When Heka grew into teenage years, Magnus witnessed one of another significant event in Heka's teenage life. Heka saw the large swarms of the psychneuein wasps. heka walked towards to the swarm, just as everyone in the village began to panic. The swarm of wasp were doubtlessly attracted by the entire village's latent psychic strength while the villagers began to flee, and pack up their things. Only a few stopped to watch Heka move towards them. One of the poor people that Heka had helped yelled out to Heka to save himself. As soon as that man shouted, the psychneuein wasps rushed at him. As soon as the psychneuein wasps rushed to him, they were incinerated by Heka's psychic fire. At first, it started a simple sphere of fire surrounding him, then it began to expand. Impossibly out of air, the fire began to morph into lava-like liquid fire surrounding Heka, becoming like an ever-expanding sphere.

Then then like moths to a light source, the psychneuein wasps rushed at Heka, stopping themselves from chasing after the fleeing villagers. In that moment, the large swarms were incinerated as the liquid fire jumped on them and spread through them like viruses, however the young Heka was inexperienced and lacked finer control he would later have, so as a result, he drew from a single emotion: anger. He held them responsible for the deaths of his parents and he had no desire for anyone else to fall into similar circumstances as him, and his hidden anger at the unfair treatment he was given by these villager for years.

Heka groaned as he kept his arms open, his heads popping. At this point, Heka had been intensifying the effects too soon. Heka kept it up however, and soon, the sphere began to cover the whole village. Heka was slowly covered in the fires of his own rage, burning his body. He sensed someone walking to him, fearless of the fire surrounding him. A familiar presence but he could not tell for he was focused on the wasps, to force their attention to his presence as the flames burnt them and his own body.

"Well, remember me, Sarcastic Kid from the Library?" Heka was quiet. He recognized that voice. He froze for a moment, in the midst of his rage being snuffed out. That allowed Hathor to hug Heka. A lapse in the sphere allowed the wasps to pierce through it and rush at him. Heka managed to refocus himself as he began to form the barrier again, accelerated by Hathor's assistance.

Magnus was impressed and surprised that Heka had managed to calm down and observed as Heka's fiery sphere expanded, but this time, Heka was more in control, bearing in mind that Hathor was nearby, if not for her, he would have incinerated himself, something that Magnus suspected. The villages began to join Heka as they stopped fleeing, witnessing this moment. At this point, many villagers had felt guilt for treating Heka badly as he had never hit back, and tried to make peace with them despite their poor treatment.

Some of the braver villagers had moved to assist Heka in defending their village. Magnus could sense the guilt within the villagers that witnessed this event. Magnus was certain that he was seeing Heka's another significant moment. Hathor was a young girl. She was a simple girl, not considered at all beautiful, but to Heka, she was the prettiest girl. As soon as the wasps stopped attacking the village, the villagers had cheered and at the night, there was a feasting. Heka sat next to Hathor, happier in her company.

Magnus witnessed passing of the years, Magnus saw Heka married Hathor. They led a few happy years until the day Hathor had died giving a child birth. Magnus saw this was one of another significant memory that had been very significant to him. Since saving the village, he had been on a much better terms with everyone there and he had been very renowned for healing as he enjoyed and loved doing it and he enjoyed gaining more knowledge, especially if it was related to biology.

Magnus observed as Heka had done everything he could to save his wife as she was pregnant at the time. He, used up all his power yet none of his solutions worked. Heka wept as he took the child out of Hathor's womb and passed it to her. She smiled as she cradled the baby and kissed her forehead. "Her name shall be Farida. Fine name, don't you think?" Hathor looked beautiful, and as healthy as ever even when she was dying, her skin growing paler. Her piercing blue eyes gazed at Heka, with her blood red plump lips smiling. She was only happy to be with him and their newborn daughter. She died soon after. Heka was shocked. He picked up his baby daughter as she cried. He cradled her and she grew calm. He noted she had her mother's hair and eyes, and she had her her father's latent psyker talents. He cradled her, as he tried not to weep.

Magnus felt a sympathy for Heka, and wondered if he made a wrong choice in persuading Heka to join Thousand Sons the moment they landed on prospero, for they both foresaw that event that would happen in a few decades. He watched as Heka raised his daughter, noting she was psychically strong and had very unique gifts. He saw she could figure some things out quicker than her father and began to find cures for the diseases that were once considered incurable. Heka could not figure out how but he was glad. He was proud of her. He loved her and watched as she grew from her enthusiastic childhood to teenage then to a young woman. Heka was in his mid-age by then.

The Crimson King was shocked when Heka grew sick suddenly. Heka had been unable to cleanse himself of that disease that seemed to keep coming back. He recognized Heka's symptoms at the time to be similar to Nurglitch diseases. Heka was bedridden, and Magnus saw a Daemon invade his dream and attempt to persuade him to trade his soul and his allegiance to Chaos, as well as alluding that there would be much more knowledge to find… and a way to resurrect his wife. Heka was tempted. He considered his choices as the daemon patiently waited for him.

Heka then asked the question that the Daemon had not expected him to ask "How do I know, that you will follow through the end of the deal if I choose to accept it? How do I know that once I resurrect my wife once you heal me, that she will be the woman that I remember and not a monster she might become?"

The daemon was stunned as this was not expected and it was about to answer when Heka already deduced this thing was lying, and from his memories, none of the spirits that hail from Great Ocean were to be trusted, especially if they came with deals. It lunged at him but Heka, in his ethereal form, banished that spirit and sent it flying back to Great Ocean.

It accelerated his disease. His daughter had spent days researching this and saw the rapid decline. She sighed as she stood up, making that fateful choice. Heka saw what his beloved daughter was about to do so.

Weakly, Heka begged Farida, his daughter, not to do this, he asked her to let him die and not to waste her time with him. He had told her to live her life, to raise her own family. His last sight before blacking out was her kind genuine smile, and a smile. Her boyfriend at the time came to him. Both of them smiled. Their last words to him were "We never told you this, but we've seen the future. You took good care of me for years, father, you've also saved my boyfriend when he was sick as a child for free. We thank you. We will repay you. You will be able to repay us when you've lived longer years than the years we might've lived."

Genuinely kind and gentle smiles of Farida and her boyfriend and then their affectionate look at each other then at him was last of Heka's memories of them being alive.

When Heka woke up, he was astonished to find himself fully healed, as though as his body never been infected in the first place, and yet at same time, he felt a little younger. However he felt apprehensive and worried, hoping worst hadn't come. But then he turned his head, it felt like he was dunked into deeply into nightmares.

Magnus saw through Heka's eyes that Farida lay dead on the ground, and her boyfriend's body had been burnt to ashes even though there were no signs of fire. Heka was despairing as he moved to Farida's dead body. He whimpered and wept as he laid his forehead on her head. He blamed himself. He could not stop weeping. He wished he taught her to be a little more selfish. He hadn't, due to his nature, but he wished he had influenced her that.

Magnus then found himself standing next to Heka still weeping on her body, in his old human form. Magnus was surprised, for he was not shown these things about Heka's past and his inability. He looked to Revelation. Revelation had been speaking to Heka, consoling his loss. Magnus knew this room had been burnt down and the seers spoke of the powerful man wandering the deserts alone, waiting to die so he could join his family that died. He did not commit suicide. Magnus had found Heka on the verge of death, and nursed him back to health.

The Crimson king realized to his horror, after reading through Heka's memories that Farida, his daughter, had very unique gifts. Had the touch of Chaos not touched Heka nor his daughter, there would've been a cure or atleast a way to delay the transformation of Thousand Sons Legionnaires into Chaos Spawns. This infuriated the Crimson King. He turned to Revelation and saw Revelation was looking at him, and he had a look that made Magnus realize Revelation wanted to show him a simple truth of what Chaos had done to Thousand Sons even that early.

Revelation said "Have a look around. I will comfort him." Magnus nodded and knew for once that this was a true Compassionate Aspect of Emperor. Most of the people he had came across were selfish or lacked compassionate, and sometimes both. Very few short-lived individuals in his long life were truly compassionate. He then turned to observe the room.

Magnus observed the room, and saw Heka's house was very simple. In both form and decoration, save for bookshelves filled with countless books. He saw saw many of these books were actually made by Heka. Names. Dates. Titles even. Magnus saw few of them were written by Farida. Magnus was saddened. All that knowledge lost.. Or perhaps locked away in Heka's mind? Magnus lamented the losses.

Had Farida lived… then perhaps Thousand Sons would not have suffered so much as they did in Great Crusade. Magnus by this time, was fully convinced now. He finally fully turned away from Chaos Gods and was now committed to ending his Legion's suffering that he had prolonged over several millennia. He thought about his greatest regrets in the Horus Heresy.

Heka was no longer in his old human form when Magnus looked at his friend. Heka slowly stood from the ground and Magnus sensed that Heka had been slowly recovering from it. Heka turned to Magnus "It-it's fine. I'll be fine. I need time." Magnus nodded then turned, sensing Heka did not need to be comforted. He was already recovering faster from Revelation's help.

"You have proved yourself, Revelation" Magnus spoke telepathically "I was skeptical yet you proved yourself beyond all doubt. You are truly an Aspect of Emperor" The Primarch followed Revelation as they reached to one end of a giant book. Revelation turned and he smiled as he pointed up.

Magnus and Heka looked up to the sky, just as they sensed the dream was ending. They saw clouds formed into formations of writings. "Seek for the twisted path nested between the reality and the Great Ocean" When they looked down to see Revelation and found him gone and both Magnus and Heka looked at each other as the dream began to end. Magnus sensed Heka had been recovering faster. It seemed Revelation had far more compassionate touch than Magnus,

Heka glanced at Magnus, as it was as if Revelation woke him up from the perpetual nightmare. Silent, he felt knew Revelation had proved himself. He was neither pitying nor deceiving him. He realized then that Emperor and he had shared mutual pains and in many ways he felt the many of the cracks in his mind were being healed. He will recover, this he knew it.

"Well then" Heka looked to Magnus "I suppose we need to somehow get out. You got any ideas?" Magnus shrugged, as he replied "I've already ran out of ideas. They're good. Very good. If anything, we need to figure out how to persuade them" Heka sighed as he took off his helmet and wiped his tears off. Magnus knew Heka had felt better this time around.

Magnus asked Heka "Are you fine?" "Yes, I have recovered, thank you" Heka smiled. His hatred for Magnus had been mostly extinguished now. He turned to look at the book. Magnus continued "Well. We better think of something to persuade your lovely friend, Orikan".

The dream was ending now. They sensed it. They began to wake. Before they woke, Magnus thought about Heka, remembering Heka agreeing to his proposal after being persuaded. Before Thousand Sons landed, Magnus had reversed Heka's biological age to a young man reaching to his twenties, which allowed Heka to go through the procedures to become a Space Marine. Granted, that was an experimental ritual that Magnus tried but it worked and Magnus psychically assisted Heka through the procedure that transformed him into one of first fully fledged Space Marine hailing from Prospero. Without Magnus' help and his unique talents, it was likely Heka would have suffered complications and would have died. Magnus smiled at that memory before he woke up.


	10. Chapter Nine

When Magnus and Heka woke up. They saw they were in a different room, perhaps in a different ship? The guards were different. Heka and Magnus had a feeling they were moved as they noticed their labyrinths were lined up with each other, instead of facing each other. They were relieved to see there were no scarabs in sight and then. The huge door opened. They saw the large Necron, larger than others walk. His posture was dominating and his steps sure. His four guards flanked him. Each of four warriors appeared to be almost as large as the large Necron, each of them carrying large staff, each tip shimmering with green energies.

Each of these warriors were easily ancient. Each of their eyes glowed green. They moved in front of the large Necron. He recognized these warriors as Praetorians. He had only seen one or two in his battles. He used his emotionless Rubric sword masters to deal with them, as he moved his other warriors in engaging other foes. These lethal warriors were known to reap armies in their thousands and command even the Necron Overlords. But four of them following the large Necron? And without his Rubric Marines, if he was to fight them without his psychic power, he knew he would be in utter trouble, for they were also known to be excellent melee fighters unrivaled by most melee fighters in the galaxy. He looked to the large Necron, just as he saw another Necron walk beside the large one, standing closer to his Labyrinth.

The large necron, obviously far more ancient and regal in appearance, unlike other Necrons, his body appeared to have appearance of skin made out of metal, and he held a large glowing green staff, with sickly green energies seemingly dancing around the crown tip. Taller than an Astartes warrior. The Necron peered closely into his face. He stood back as one of four Pratorians walked forward. The large necron moved back, adjusting his dark metallic-like cloak that appeared to be heavy but that Necron had no issues moving them. Heka noted that this large Necron was far more ancient in appearance than other Necrons he met and fought in his memory.

Heka noticed Orikan stood behind the giant necron, his head lowered, his body at a slight angles of bow. Anyone without enhanced eyes of Astartes warriors would think he is standing upright, not bowing to the regal Necron, missing these miniscule details. Heka began to suspect this was the famed Silent King and as of recent, the conqueror of Tau Meta-Empire's territories. He wondered if this was his end.

With an intense glare, the Praetorian said to Heka, as he came close "You stand within the sight of Silent King, Lesser subject. You shall answer when asked. Remain silent otherwise-" the Praetorian was about to continue when the glow of its' eyes dimmed then brightened up. It spoke in a very different voice. To Heka, that voice effortlessly carried the tone of authority, and every word the Silent King spoke, each carried weight and easily demanded his full attention.

"I am curious. I know of tales many speak about you, even if you've made efforts to obscure your involvements. I heard even some worship you as a god. Even now, I suspect you are one of those who are rising. The Anathema, whom you call Emperor, now known as Star Father within the disjunction realm and the disjunction entity known as Valcocht the Maker are two of those that have already risen and I've suspected you are the next one yet I hear stories that you, a rising disjunction entity, fight against your… kin within the Disjunction space. Why is that?"

Heka looked at the Silent King, growing in his suspicions that the Silent King was the only reason why he lived, for no Necrons were known to take prisoners, even in this damned age where the Necrons already conquered most of entire Tau Meta-Empire's space. "Before I elaborate on that, I would like to make a deal with you, Silent King. After all, my research indicates that you are quite reasonable, and are known to work with organics like myself, for I recall that you fought alongside Commander Dante of Blood Angels Chapter to hold off Tyranids in Gehenna, when just moments ago, you were fighting him,"

One of Praetorians, not controlled by the Silent King, was about to move forward, pulling his weapon at the perceived slight when the Silent King placed his hand on that Praetorian's shoulder, making him stand down. "What is the deal then? I will consider your offers" he spoke through the same Praetorian he was controlling.

"I would like Magnus and I to be freed, and without being killed. Let us get away and continue what we need to do in this galaxy, we will assist you when we can, when we ever meet in later times" Heka suspected the Silent King was more aware than he let on "For my research on you indicates that you also fight against the very thing I am fighting against. After all, I could use more allies against the Primordial Annihilator, and you need my knowledge and assistance against the Deep Ones, don't you?"

The Silent King thought of Heka's offers "And your plans will not conflict with our interests?" he continued to speak through the same Praetorian "Regrettably, I must act ways that will conflict with your interests, It is required if I am ever to foil, if not then, delay the plans of the Deep Ones, for we

The Silent King walked closer to Heka's cage, replying through the Triarch Praetorian "I will consider your offer." The Silent King turned to Orikan. For a moment, Heka saw Orikan's hands gripping his staff, and noticing a slight shake. He sensed that Orikan was not truly a Necron. Even if it was but a nano-second, he knew that Necrons are soulless and could never figure out what Orikan truly was, A C'tan. Out of the corner of his eyes, Heka saw Magnus' looking at him, giving him a slight nod. They were thinking the same thing. Somehow this C'tan had fooled the Necrons into thinking he was one of them.

Heka and Magnus felt the immense rage the C'tan, yet they knew the only reason why they were spared was they suspected the Silent King had placed an order to capture Heka thousands of years ago, and they suspected the Silent King wanted Heka alive and was aware of his existence and actions despite Heka's extensive and thorough attempts to hide his involvement in history, some attributing his beneficial actions to the Wayward Son, some negative actions attributed to his mostly dead enemies.

The Silent King turned to Heka, just as both Heka's and Magnus' Tesseract Labyrinths began their deactivation procedure, however both psykers knew the Silent King deliberately left the anti-psychic fields active. The Necrons waited as Heka and Magnus collapsed on the floor. At that point, they were surprised they could not move. It was as if years had passed since they moved. "Orikan had kept you in the Tesseract Labyrinths for a year. You were asleep and dreamed." The Silent King waited patiently, as Heka and Magnus's bodily sensations slowly returned to them, seemingly an eternity to them.

"Orikan tried to wake you up, but found opportunities to experiment while you both dreamed. Doubtlessly he gleaned valuable information" Silent King said as he observed them gradually rise from the ground. "And now here you both are, awakened. You will be my guests for a time being, before I either end both of you, or send you free, disjunction entities" The Silent King turned around, and both psykers saw the Triarch Praetorian the Silent King was speaking through, shuddered then turned to follow him.

Heka and Magnus looked at each other, then they slowly got up. They looked at Orikan, glaring at them. Though not obvious on Orikan's face, they knew Orikan had resolved to get them killed without attracting the notice of Silent King if he let them go. After all, Orikan was not the only one who was a master of time manipulation.

The Silent King knew both Magnus and Heka had long extensive experiences with Necrons, and by far, most likely will be aware of their schemes and ability to deceive. After all, Heka fought several significant figures, like Orikan the Diviner, Orikan the Diviner and Imotekh the Stormlord and so he understood that he could not control Heka.

Meanwhile Heka and Magnus found they could telepathically communicate again, though still, most of their powers were heavily suppressed. " _How are you feeling, Heka?" "I am recovering." "Revelation.. I've spent two years repairing your mental damage from the moment your daughter passed into Great Ocean. Then Revelation re-opened the wounds. But somehow, you recovered quickly, as if within minutes compared to two years with my help. What happened?"_

" _I don't know but I feel better. Don't worry about me, Magnus. I will explain to you later"_ Heka continued as he reflected on this recent dream. He stretched out his fingers, feeling his full body sensations return to him. He saw Magnus feel his wrists, no doubt having recovered faster than he did. They turned their attentions to the Silent King as he walked on. They observed four additional Triarch Praetorians seemingly come through the wall and surround them. Both, as a threat, and to protect the Silent King.

Heka observed the hallway stretching out. The walls seemed to phase in and out of existence. The rooms shifted. From one moment, he could see one room, but when he turned, he saw that room appear different. Perhaps if anti-psychic fields weren't active, they would had a chance of escaping. As it is, Heka and Magnus both agreed with each other that they had no other choice than to follow Silent King for now. The Silent King and his Necrons continued to lead them through the ship. They saw the hallway grow larger, until they came upon a large gate.

Unlike the mortal wooden doors that flung open or were manually operated, the large gate lightened up, and then began to phase itself at the Silent King's command. This was quite the sight for both Magnus and Heka. They walked into what they could assume to be command deck. At once, the Necrons bowed to the Silent King. The Silent King waved them off dismissively, returning them to their station.

Heka observed the Silent King walking to his command seat, which seemed to appear more like a large throne befitting of a mortal king. The Silent King then took seat on the throne, and for a moment, seemed to think. However Heka and Magnus suspected the King already came to a conclusion. The Triarch Praetorian standing on the right side of the Silent King came forward, it's eyes blinking out then becoming brighter.

"I have considered my options and your options, factoring in my long plans, and where you would serve my interests." The Silent King made the Praetorian move in front of the psykers. "It is quite unfortunate that your past conflicts with other dynasties, and even within my own dynasties were simply… for most parts in error."

The Silent King watched as Heka's expression change from a face of the one seeking a way out to an expression of curiosity. The Silent King continued "In error. I have began to see the threats even worse than Tyranid extragalactic lifeforms rise from the Disjunction Space. Twenty thousand years ago… " The Silent King shook his head as he continued "I had been so utterly focused on ending the Tyranid threat to all life in the galaxy that I did not see this coming until the end of your Imperium"

The Silent King knew it was pointless to attempt to manipulate him. His Necrons had reported that Heka had extensive experiences, in dealing with them and thus, he could not be manipulated by them. Especially since he noted that he had not foreseen Heka until Orikan reported him while he waged his undying wars against the Tau Meta-Empire. He considered Heka might be a valuable asset however, for he could not be seen by others and he appeared to be sane, despite the strong taint of Dissolution clinging to him, and he glanced at Magnus, suspecting he is the figure of several prophecies. Szerakh thought about this.

The Silent King said. "When you both came here, had you both intended to attack us?" Magnus replied "No. We took a random jump far from here. We did not know where we were going for once. Just anything to get away from Deep Warp" "I see." The Silent King stood up, and glanced at Orikan the Diviner.

Heka saw that the Silent King's glance prompt Orikan to move from the columns of Necrons nearby. He suspected that was how Necrons had been victorious in most of their conflicts. Unfeeling. Efficient. Instantaneous in communication. Just like the way he dealt with his own Rubric Marines.

The only difference was that, unlike Heka's Rubric Marines, these Necrons were sentient, capable of acting on their own and were completely loyal to their masters.

Whereas Rubric Marines were complete automata that needed constant control that which directed their action, the Necontyr did not possess that flaw, for they were machines. Dangerous even to Heka, as dangerous as the champions of the Deep Warp he fought. Their ability to shunt out the psykers….

Heka thought about whether it was possible to reverse the the process of Rubric of Ahriman. He frowned however, as right now, it was not the time to try to reverse the Rubric of Ahriman, to free the Rubric Marines he had hidden on several worlds, some unclaimed by any, some claimed by Vulkanite Imperium, some by twin Chaos Imperiums. His regret in taking part in Rubric of Ahriman resurfaced in his mind. He then considered his options as he watched the ancient Necron move to the Silent King.

Orikan was shocked. Again, he had been sent away to travel with the despised Red Sorcerer. A psyker. His personal enemy. He could not contain his anger. His hate. And even his own biases against the mortal races combined as one. In his anger, Orikan voiced his silent protests to Silent King.

The Diviner was then silenced by the Silent King's gesture. He knew then the Silent King was firm in his decision. In his long life, Silent King had always been firm in decisions he made. To his knowledge, it was always part of long plans the Silent King had. No mortal, not even his fellow Necrons could hope to comprehend the Silent King's plans, not even he, the Master of Time could see what Silent King desired.

The Szerakh the Silent King looked at Heka and Magnus, just as Orikan the Diviner silently walked past them, his warriors following them. The Silent King walked forward to the Red Sorcerer and his Primarch. "We shall make a deal. I will let you off the chains. We are intensely curious about the Deep. As many things as we do know, our rudimentary knowledge is lacking in Warp… and very disturbingly lacking about the Deep Warp. And so Orikan the Diviner and his warriors shall travel with you. In part to gather knowledge. In part, to ensure you do not disrupt my long term plans and that you will assist me when I call on you"

"And in part, he will record your travels, contacts you made with individuals and record your story. We are interested as it is crucial to our interests" Heka grimaced. He was angry. This deal was not a good one for him. Magnus watched Heka curiously, sensing his rage at this deal, as every Astartes warrior he met, did not want to be forgotten.

Heka frowned "He cannot, Szerakh. I know your name, because of the records on the empty

Eldar Craftworlds, that itself is fine, for the thing within the Deep does not care about you. But when the records are written about me… that monster will gradually corrupt the reader, no matter how long it takes." Magnus saw the pain on Heka's face "It took me several thousand years just to prevent the Deep Warp from corrupting entire groups to a single individual when I meet them in person. Better that my records are destroyed for I do not wish to spread the corruption any further than it already has."

Szerakh considered Heka's words, but ultimately decided against it. "Knowledge is paramount. Knowledge is the key. And therefore, the records will be written. Otherwise, you will see your plan unattended, your rituals forsaken, and we will keep you here for an eternity, locked away."

Magnus then glanced at Heka the Red… "And you, Golem of Anathema" Szerakh began "Once your son accepts the deal, we will make one." The Silent King said. Magnus frowned, knowing his deal is likely as bad as Heka's deal as he waited Heka to finish considering his deal.

Heka, after some time of considering, frowned, considering this is his best option "Fine. I'll take the deal" He then stepped back, to observe Magnus make deal with the Silent King.


	11. Chapter Ten

Magnus understood why Heka said these things as he dealt with the Silent King. He had witnessed several sorcerers that came across the rare few lores regarding Heka in the 42nd Millennium. At that time, he once wondered why the lores were so rare, it was as if Heka had been destroying his own history, his own lore, in contrast to many Sorcerers, himself included, that wrote their own life story, to ensure they were known and not forgotten.

At that time, these Sorcerers he had sent out were hunting for Heka. Magnus wanted to bring Heka in, and force all the new knowledge out of him as he heard rumours about the places that Heka had gone to, places that even he had not seen and stepped into, but he was very disappointed in his sorcerers that were unable to find him.

Magnus considered at that time that he had taught Heka too well, until these very Sorcerers came to him, holding ancient, almost burnt books and papers that somehow remained readable and intact, that was said to have held contained the stories regarding Heka the Red.

Magnus remembered the feeling that these sorcerers were different. Somehow their minds were altered. It was the unfamiliar whispers within those sorcerers that unusually chilled Magnus, even though he had seen many horrible things, and heard things that would run lesser men insane. It was not a voice he recognized, it was much harsher and far more sinister in tone, something to him was like something that had been there since the beginning. He sweated at that memory.

Magnus and his Sorcerers were horrified when they began to defend themselves from the maddened sorcerers that transformed right in front of them. He heard their insane screams, chanting words unknown even to the psyker veterans of Long War that had travelled through Warp for many years. Screams that chilled even the fearless Primarch of Thousand Sons to the bone.

Magnus snapped out of his thoughts and nightmarish memory when he heard Heka step back, hearing him say "Fine. I'll take the deal" He prepared himself mentally for the bad deal he was about to get, with a strong frown present on his face, while mentally shaking himself from those horrid memories.

"You will end your own Legion, Anathema's Golem. You will wipe them out, to the last by whatever means necessary. They have troubled us long enough" The Silent King said as he walked around Heka and Magnus the Red.

Magnus frowned deeply. Not only Heka made a deal with him to do that earlier, now Silent King wanted him to do it. "Only if they are servants of what Heka has faced in the Deep Warp" He said as he glanced at Heka the Red. "If they are not, then I will ensure their operations are far away from yours." Magnus held on a glimmer of hope that there are some that escaped corruption, as well as betting on a chance that Silent King would not know of any Loyalist Chapters that emerged in the Imperium of Man after the Horus Heresy, that are somehow descended by his Legion.

The Silent King thought it over, considering there was a impossibly low chance that there are even Loyalist Thousand Sons. The only ones he ever faced were the blue armored Thousand Sons. All of them, wielding the powers of the Disjunction Realms. Then he considered it, if there are indeed Loyalist Thousand Sons of Anathema, would he not gain something from this if these Loyalists were to fight the blue armoured ones? And there are rumours of the secrets of the Blood Ravens Chapter, that he had not cared to find out for he had much greater plans to follow through.

The Silent King then paused in his walk around his captives. "Far away from my operations and potentially assisting in my plans. What an intriguing potential" Szerakh noted it may be good to spare these, even though he had eternal grudging dislike of psykers, but he noted his own willingness to set aside his dislike in order to advance his greater plans, unknown but suspected by a few talented strategists who fought him.

Magnus and Heka looked at Szerakh, likewise, Szerakh returned their glares. All three of them having already come to their conclusion. "Very well, even extremely unlikely chances that there are those of your kin who are unaffected by the taint of the Disjunction" The Silent King walked to his throne "We will spare them, provided they do not oppose my plans. As long as they oppose the entities originating from Disjunction Space and as long as they fight Thousand Sons"

The Silent King turned toward to his throne, while continuing to speak through his Triarch Praetorian, "As a sign of good faith, I will unlock your chains. I am confident that we have reached to our conclusion." Magnus replied "And we will not attack each other. As long as you also lift the anti-psychic fields from here. We will not run, but wait until you allow us out. We are your guests after all, if not prisoners"

The Silent King smiled internally. It had been a long time since he had met those two beings whose will were extremely strong. As undying as Necrontyr themselves. He stopped just before the throne. The Silent King turned "Magnus, the Red Golem of Anathema. Are you satisfied with this Accord?"

The Red King paused for a moment. He decided not to let the Silent King know about his own deal with Heka the Red. "Yes, I am." He smiled, but beneath the smile, was an angry father, seething at the end of his own children.

Then the Silent King asked "Heka, the Scion of Red Golem, I ask you. Are you satisfied with the Accord?"

Heka remained silent, his helmet hiding his frown. He only nodded. Magnus reading and knowing Heka's thoughts spoke for him "My son is satisfied with this accord. He will be fine"

The Silent King chuckled "If you say so." as he raised his fist and opened his hand.

Both Magnus and Heka felt themselves free from the oppressive invisible restraints that had constricted their movements. Then afterwards, they felt the anti-psychic fields lift off around them.

The Silent King kept his anti-psychic fields on stand-by, just in case these Thousand Sons were to attack him and his Necrons. After all, he could reactivate the anti-psychic fields instantly.

Heka and Magnus had no intentions to attack them, well aware that these Necrons are wary, especially since Thousand Sons were well-known manipulators. But they had no intentions for now, as they both used their powers to find out where they were, or where they landed in.

Magnus and Heka looked around. The Silent King watched and knew immediately that Heka and Magnus were using their powers to find out where they were, due to his long experience with the psykers. For a time, there was some silence.

Heka looked to the Silent King, and said "Are we that deep into the confines of Tau Empire? We are near world of Vior'La" Heka said. He recognized that world, as he traveled there in Fifty-second Millennium,as he sought out some artifacts in the Eastern Fringe.

Szerakh said "Yes, we are not quite done with them. I have a personal business to attend to on T'au." He then looked at Heka and Magnus "As for you two, we will drop you off. You can find your way out with one of the ships, as we have taken apart your ship and your automatous suits"

" _I knew that was going to happen, Magnus"_ Heka said to his primarch, telepathically. Magnus sensed a small part of Heka was grateful he was born with perfect memories, but for most parts, angry at being stuck with it.

At the same time, Heka replied rather calmly "That is a shame. An inconvenient shame" Heka said. "I don't suppose you have any spare books then?" He smiled despite himself.

Magnus couldn't help but look at Heka, and chuckle.

Szerakh the Silent King looked at Heka and Magnus chuckling with each other at this joke. As ever, he could not understand why the rare few organics joked in front of them, despite their impending doom, and obvious danger. He had forgotten what it was like to be a mortal.

A small part of the Silent King wished to be one again, after suffering this miserable experience as a mechanical Necron who traded his soul and emotions away for immortality. A small part of himself wished he could understand it for he had long forgotten this humor. That part of Silent King acknowledged this but doubted other Necrons felt the same.

Regardless, Szerakh continued, not caring about what Heka joked about "Now, Orikan awaits. You will be leaving now." Both Magnus and Heka turned around, observing Orikan approach behind him with his Necron warriors.

Orikan was angered when Szerakh subsequently took full control of his soulless warriors. "You will go alone. With these humans. They are cunning, having both faced Empire of Necrontyr's might and danced with our most cunning strategists like you."

Orikan frowned, remaining silent as his warriors marched past him, to join the ranks of other warriors watching them all. The Silent King continued "You will not be permitted an access to your own ship. Not until you have come back from your travels with them. We need data on our new enemies that rise from within the Deep Disjunction Space, amongst other things.."

Heka grew very curious. "What enemies do you speak of?" Magnus grew suspicious, as he heard of the Daemons of Deep Warp breaking into the Materium at random intervals, piloting the strange constructs he had not seen before.

The Silent King turned to Heka, and at same time raised his hand. The room instantly responded to his mental command. The hololithic displays came to life. "This is what my warriors were seeing. Not even their reanimation protocols could bring them back. These disjunction abominations of unknown nature are extremely troublesome, even in small numbers compared to your Legion and what you call "psykers" in your language"

Heka saw the strange unfamiliar constructs obviously infused with Deep Warp energy attacking Necron forces at several worlds. He heard Magnus saying out loud as he looked at those strange constructs "So even weakened in Materium, they are still lethal."

Magnus frowned. He saw what these things had done to other worlds within the Warp. He knew what they were capable of in the Warp, and had no doubt even when limited within the Materium, their might is great, despite being in small numbers. He suspected Draziin-Matons are one of the factors that is causing Eye of Terror grow larger than it was in the forty-first Millennium.

Heka only remarked "The abomination at the Core of Deep Warp…" He frowned. These nightmarish beings he fought when he met the Abominable Lord of the Deep Ones. The Nex. Somehow, he could feel the twisted kinship to them. He allowed those thoughts to be felt by Magnus, which horrified him.

Both understanding and horror dawned on Magnus when he realised this is what Heka is now. An anomalous kin to the Chaos Abominations, and somehow, the Draziin-Matons, that even Time itself shuns his existence. Something that the monster in the Deep Warp has mutated him into. A failed attempt at creating a new god to add to its pantheon. Just like Tzeentch, Magnus now understood, was following that thing's will to lead Thousand Sons into damnation.

Magnus, speaking for himself and Heka, shaking his mind off his horror, somehow unable to hide his horrified expression. "well, we are ready. As much as we are, in this given circumstance. We will walk with Orikan."

Orikan remained silent, in his anger, that he was to go along with these psykers that he held special disdain and hatred for. He turned his back to the Silent King, facing the psyker primitives. He did not hesitate to let them know of his rage through the menacing expression made possible by the nanites on his body.

The Silent King nodded, assuming Magnus' horrified expression meant the Draziin-Matons had horribly demoralizing effects on even other servants of the Disjunction entities. He waved his hand silently, no more words coming through the mouth of his Praetorian speaker.

At the green flash, Heka, Magnus and now Orikan found themselves on Vior'la, near a ruined city. Both psykers scanned this world, psychically and to their sorrow, no life remained on this world. Indeed, Orikan coldly remarked "this way, this is much more convenient for us all, humans" Orikan refused to call them by their names, for he found them abhorrent to his sight. Especially Heka the Red.

Heka chuckled sarcastically as he walked, "true, but it is better if this world had not been attacked. Not by your kind. Or rather, the ones you have been lying to, for a very long time, C'tan"

Orikan, unsurprised by Heka's and likely by extension, Magnus' knowledge "Indeed, if not for Szerakh's order, I would have been happy to end you back in that ship" He did not say any more.

Orikan and Heka glared at each other for a moment before Magnus spoke up "We'll need to find a ship. At this point, any will do. And we'll have to find a cloak for all of us." Orikan begrudgingly followed Magnus and Heka, as they began to search in the destroyed city for a ship.


	12. End

Heka groaned and gasped, naked as a newborn babe. A cruel last dignity Ahriman had granted him, was to allow him to wear his undergarments. Utterly naked without his armour, he had been tortured, for about two years. Ahriman… his old friend, and now his greatest enemy. And yet despite being tortured many times, through many cruel methods Ahriman had employed to break his mind, he remained unbroken.

A fact that Heka noted the Mote of Deep Warp had protected him, and resisted being pulled away from him. Ahriman knew he could not force the loyalty of the seemingly sentient Mote, for killing him cause the Mote of Deep Warp flow away, out of his reach and that Mote of Deep Warp, Ahriman knew, could accelerate his ascension into a new Chaos God, to further increase his power, yet he found it annoyingly difficult to even get a response from the Mote, save that it constantly healed Heka, both to Heka's relief and Ahriman's chagrin. He wanted to save himself years of study and searching for new relics that could grant much more power.

Not even threats about Crolomere's safety could phase Heka. Heka loved her, like a daughter, but he did not allow Ahriman to use that love. Two years. Two long years, but to Heka, it felt like two centuries. Heka growled, as he remained alone in the dungeon. Alpha Legion taught him well to resist torture, during Great Crusade years, even sometime during the Age of Imperium of Man. Just a day ago, his mind had been a blur, as a result of drugs running through his system, but today, it was clear, thanks to the Mote, and his mutations that still existed within him from that fated trip into the Deep Warp. Ahriman was unable to break him, his will, solidified long ago by Mote. Yet he could not see outside of this room with his Second Sight. He hated it. Anywhere but this room. He hated the fact his 12 ancient Rubricae was now being used as Ahriman's guards. He hated the fact Ahriman managed to figure out the upgrades he gave to his Rubricae and now he spread the upgrades to all of his Rubric Marines, which was somehow the reason why Ahriman remained an Emperor of his Rubric Empire.

Ahriman… Heka went to fight him on Tallarn, sending the resurrected Ohthere Wyrdmake, Johan and Pyriel and the other Astartes (Of various commanderies) away to Imperium Pentus before he embarked on his voyage to Tallarn, making past other worlds of Thousand Emperors. They tried to dissuade him but Heka was resolute. He knew he had to slow Ahriman's ascend or at least delay it long enough for someone else to stop him. It was impossible not to notice this in the Warp. Ahriman… Unlike Heka, as far as he knew, Heka remained mostly unchanged for many millennia, But Ahriman changed. So far different to a man he once knew. He was weeping then, and groaned in the harsh internal pain.

At once, he heard sounds. Sounds of battle going through the prison compound. Struggling, he was unable to see outside of it, but his Second Sight showed him the uniformed humans battling against Rubricae, so near his door. Large numbers, and to his surprise, he saw Rubricae falling one by one, despite the great deaths among the humans. They were far away but were approaching the prison. Freedom was at hand. For him and others. Though he could not see much in this prison, so utterly dark for most parts. "For Revelation! Onwards!" These voices. For Revelation? He knew it then. Revelation had sent forces to this place. He smiled then.

He struggled, but the Red Sorcerer managed to amplify his voice as he shouted. "For the Host of Revelation! Come. Come to this priso-" He coughed, his voice was recovering still, after Ahriman had slashed his throat an hour before.

It was not long before the mortal warriors managed to make their way to the prison. Listening to their words, as they were priming a bomb on the door, that he had no doubt they were freeing him. The door blown open in seconds, and as one of the soldiers pressed the button, turning on the light, they were repulsed by what they saw. Dead bodies. Horribly tortured and mutilated bodies, "Wait! I can see the large man. Astartes by appearance!" "Free him!" They wasted no time as they moved around the room, checking for traps. None were found, and so they began to work on freeing him.

As the chains were removed from Heka's neck and limbs, his mind expanded and the Red Sorcerer found he could employ his full powers once again. He sensed Crolomere moving in the large room above. "Easy! You've been here for how long?" "Two years..but I need to move. Now. Something is happening" Heka groaned as he collapsed on the floor, "Follow me" "But we need to get you to the medi-" "No time!" He stood up, and moved recovering rapidly. The human soldiers were unable to stop him but could only follow him. He did not bother taking an armour. No. He had to run. He ran fast. The soldiers only followed, and as they ran upstairs. To their amazement, the Red Sorcerer fought off several powerful Psykers as they provided fire support, firing at the Psykers, as the Rubricae were stunned, but following their deaths, they began to follow Heka's mental command. Heka tore apart the attacking psykers as though they were but meddling young apprentices that attempted to foolishly fight the ancient master of Warp.

The human soldiers were about to fire upon the Rubricae until they saw they were not firing at them, and realized the naked man was one of the Thousand Sons Sorcerers, but despite their suspicions, they decided to trust this man, not knowing this was Heka, the ally of Revelation, but for unknown reasons, they could not figure why but they found him repulsive, not knowing it was the cause of Mote of Deep Warp.

In that instance, Heka felt Crolomere's pain. It enraged him as he moved faster. The mortal soldiers moved a little bit further behind, feeling his rage, even at the great distance as they did not want to give him a reason to destroy them, as they could sense his immense power. He began his intonations as he marched forward, using the Rubric Marines to eradicate any threats, as he gathered a growing force of Rubricae. They moved between rooms, rushing to get to the top, leaving mortal soldiers to wipe the remaining threats, like cultists. Heka had no time to eradicate them, only to get to his beloved adopted daughter.

To Heka's surprise, he felt the mighty presence of Magnus. The Remnant of Magnus in him did not say anything, save that it mentioned it had foreseen this event a long time ago. As the Red Sorcerer and the Rubricae under his command almost reached to the top, Ahriman.. his presence shone brightly, blindingly brighter than before. He was becoming another Pantheon Slave of Deep Warp. A foolish plan to seek Godhood. Heka knew this. Ahriman had been fully corrupted by the Pantheons… A Pre-heresy Ahriman would not do this. This, he knew. He felt the titanic duel, on the same scale as his previous duel. He felt the shifts of reality. Ideas thrown as weapons. Words. Chants. Hate. Anger. Sadness. All the raw emotions. In every plane, he felt a massive psychical hurricane rush through. Such might that even mightiest mountains could be cracked apart. Tallarn burnt, and like Magnus and Ahriman, he is a master of Warp now, but unlike them, Heka had refused godhood while Ahriman desired it so fervently, thus Ahriman was the more powerful.

As Heka reached to the top, he heard screams of Magnus. As he reached to the end of the stairs, he finally saw Magnus' defeat, seeing the eye gripped by Ahriman. He saw unfamiliar Space Wolves, and other Astartes. He saw mortal warriors. Time seemed to slow down, yet Heka was not affected. Not so, since he sacrificed his place in Time itself long ago, but he was staggered, all the same as he felt the spirit of Magnus rush into Heka. But at the same time, Heka saw Ahriman turn into ashes. He heard Crolomere's voice. The only thing he heard from Crolomere was "Not all, only you"

As the effects of Rubric reversal affected everyone, he saw the Rubric automata, he felt souls' elation for freedom, he felt the consciousness wake up once more in the former automata. Hope then rushed through him. Not so soon, as the former Rubricae returned to full consciousness, he felt their rage and anger, as they began to gun down the remaining Sorcerers of Ahriman..

Heka smiled, for the first time in a long time, proud of her and, overjoyed at the resurrection. He felt his twelve Rubric Marines regain their mortality and free will. He felt another soul by Crolomere, and felt the death of the one, whom he presumed to be her partner, for he felt love before he died. He ran towards to Crolomere, and saw her, in the din of the battle, cradling a baby. A youngling. He looked at the dead man who helped her. He picked Crolomere, noting she wasn't acknowledging him, but it didn't matter, for the Webway Portal was open. He saw Sanguinor in his Second Sight, just speaking to Crolomere. He smiled then. The reversal of Rubricae would not have had threatened his life so much, but he was tortured for two years, his body still broken, and regenerating more slowly. It caused him pain in each step, even as he morphed slowly into Magnus the Red.

Heka sighed, as he cradled Crolomere, a woman he considered his daughter, despite her being far older than he. She seemingly fell away to sleep, as he walked into the Webway. Sanguinor smiled at Heka, as he slowly transformed into the Cyclopean Primarch for energies of Magnus rushed into him. He was dying.

Following the Webway, Heka noted the psychic "breadcrumbs" were there. Leading him, as he moved, avoiding Draziin-Matons, Daemons and Angyls, and other prowling horrors in the Webway. He could defend himself, but Crolomere and her child? He couldn't risk that. He shielded himself, and use his reserves to conceal himself.

Already familiar with Webway itself, it took Heka mere few days to get to the Timeless Chamber of Revelation, ensuring none followed him. Heka smiled, as his skin formed large cracks. Crolomere seemed to wake up slowly, she saw a different face, and felt the arms were much larger, yet she knew it was Heka by his unique psychic signature. She looked down on her babe and smiled. She thought of what to name him, but decided to wait until the correct time.

"Heka, are you okay? You seem different and your body feels so.. immensely damaged" "It is best you don't know what causes me pain, Crol. I have been damaged. In fact, I am dying. But.. there are a few things I have to do, before I go" Heka smiled sadly. "I am sorry, Crol, but my time is almost done and I am a tired.. tired man." Crolomere was saddened. Another death of her loved one. She couldn't believe it, and she waited so long for Heka to come back after his missions, she even wanted to introduce him to Kage, and also wanted him to see his adopted grandson, not knowing Heka had already met him. This was not fair. She hated it, and began to weep "Please, Heka, please don't go. Not again. I waited so long. This is not fair" "Life is not fair, but we do what we can, Crol. You have helped me so many times. Allow me to atleast return favour for the last time" Heka smiled as he spoke one word. The Mote of Deep Warp began to flow into the baby. Heka knew this is Revelation, for that baby held same psyker signature as Revelation himself as that enigmatic figure appeared to him for many years.

"I promise you this, Crol, though I will be but a memory to all, only you and my Primarch will always have piece of me." He walked into the Timeless Chamber, where the warriors let him through, seeing Crolomere, with her baby. One by one, they knelt before the baby, the son of Crolomere, grandson of Emperor. He continued walking towards through the rooms, to the Throne room. Thunder Warriors, Relictors, soldiers from the Golden Age and before. Sisterhood of Elusive Blades and many others. The dying Sorcerer finally went down on his knees, before Revelation's Throne.

And then as Heka finished his final chants, the Mote of Deep Warp, purified and cleansed, began to flow onto the child, alongside with his remaining energy. He fell on his knees, then laid Crolomere on the ground. He smiled, as his skin began to crack. With his final thoughts he shared with Crolomere"Thank you for being my adopted daughter, Crolomere. Thank you. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have been able to cleanse this Mote. I would have turned into a Chaos Abomination without free will, into a slave of Deep Warp." He wiped away her tears, and kissed her forehead.

Crolomere smiled sadly as she watched Heka's body slowly reduce from Primarch-sized body into a human, a human he once was, before he ever became a member of Thousand Sons.. "Take care of her" as he touched the baby's head "Take care of her. Do not abandon her like Emperor had. She is both our kin." and then he looked to Crolomere "You have done much for us. I am grateful. Just remember, though Prospero had died long time ago, alongside the myself and Thousand Sons, we live through you. You make me proud, Crol."

The red energy flew from Heka's back, forming the body of Magnus the Red, just before he became a Daemon-Primarch. Magnus the Red woke up rather quickly, finding himself in his old body, just before he became a Daemon Primarch. He was surprised to have his eye back, the eye he gave to Tzeentch. The warriors in the Timeless Chamber immediately raised their weapons at Magnus the Red, aware of his reputation, and his actions. They did not trust him.

The Crimson King, at last being reunited with his Remnant, found himself free from the corruption, heard Heka communicating to the Primarch at the same time, as he recovered knowledge and memories of the Remnant of Magnus now in him "I have spent countless centuries. Long schemes. With my place in time sacrificed, I fought off the Abominable Lord of Deep Ones. You saw it. I worked long and hard, and now finally, I managed to deceive and trick Tzeentch himself. That feat was not easy to achieve. The Slave of Change no longer has power over you, my Primarch. You still have much to atone for. You failed us. You betrayed us when Wolves burnt Prospero. You never figured out until you became a Daemon Prince, because of your arrogance. I and your other sons investigated what happened, since Ark Reach Cluster, and what happened at the Council of Nikaea. We found out, and you dismissed our reports. You have much to atone for, Primarch Magnus. I worked long enough, and it took many of my years to free you from Tzeentch, and to ensure he cannot see you. Redeem us then, and we will consider it a repayment, Crimson King."

The Crimson King was shocked, as he looked at his old body, and he found he had two eyes, instead of one which astonished him. He looked around and saw only unfamiliar warriors, in a strange place. He was lost, but judging by the combined architecture of a human chamber, and the strange runic architecture, he determined that he was in the Webway. Immediately processing all the memories almost instantaneously as only a Primarch can, he simply nodded, as he stood over the now-human Heka.

Magnus knelt next to Heka, knowing Heka spoke true. He simply nodded "I will do what I can" He smiled sadly, knowing Heka had succeeded where he had failed. His ego broken, so heavily humbled after his defeat by Ahriman. He wondered now what he should do now, after being aware of what happened in the Materium almost immediately.

As Heka finally died, his body reduced into ashes, Time itself returned to Heka. Heka had a place in time, surprising the dying Red Sorcerer. For the first time in innumerable years, he was able to see the future. His last words, even as the remaining Mote of Deep Warp fought to keep him in one place. "I see it. I see it all. War. A war to end all wars. A scale is tipping. One way or another. It cannot end in mid-way. There will be no pause. Not even a single reprieve. Listen. Listen to the sounds. I hear it. The End shall rush. The Wolves shall howl in fury in the memory of Thousand Sons that now are dead." He smiled "There will be no more Long Nights. No more. For the Wolf Time" The Good Man of Prospero had died, finally turning to ashes.

Ohthere, standing next to Heka's ashes wept, unable to forgive himself for what happened in the Council of Nikaea. Would the Imperium of Man had lasted longer if they were more forgiving of psykers? This, he knew. This he decided then, to go to Leman Russ, unaware of Primarch of Space Wolves' own guilt over the Fall of Prospero in thirty-first Millennium.

Crolomere held the baby, and held him lovingly, as she wept. Magnus quietly gathered every speck of Heka's dust by hand, and looked to a closest soldier. "Soldier, bring me two small bags." The soldier did so, seeing Primarch was different now compared to before. He poured all the dust into two small bags, diving the dust equally. He put next to Crolomere, and kept a second bag for himself, to remind himself of his early follies, the cost of his hubris and to remember Heka's sacrifice. Both Crolomere and Magnus knew Heka was completely at peace, in harmony with himself. His soul went beyond even Warp itself. Not even Deep Warp could ever reach to get him. Magnus looked to the baby and immediately understood this was the Revelation. Already, he knew the baby is beyond a Primarch and would grow quickly. He now understood what Heka had wrought, feeling the purified uncorrupted Mote of Deep Warp within the baby. Magnus despaired, noting the last member of Thousand Sons lay in ashes before him. He then resolved that he would follow up his promises, just as he thought to see Primarch Vulkan and his Imperium. And to redeem himself. He now had a long road to walk, for to be a Primarch without his Legion was daunting enough.


End file.
